POKÉMON - THE POWER INSIDE
by PokemonLegacy
Summary: Ash, 15, is finally on the verge of realizing his dreams, but his success has come at a cost. Meanwhile, as an evil force threatens the planet, Ash learns that his past may hold the key to protecting all he holds dear. Join him as he teams up with old and new friends, for one final adventure where the stakes are higher than ever. (Adventure, Shipping, M-T violence, PLEASE REVIEW!)
1. Prologue - Must See TV

Hello, my name is Legacy.

Thanks so much for reading. Growing up watching the anime, I've often yearned for a more adult, grown-up spin on our beloved characters. This is my version of that. Please leave some feedback. Any advice, criticism or suggestions would be much appreciated!

* * *

 **PROLOGUE: MUST SEE TV**

* * *

Numbness swept over her entire body as she stared off aimlessly into the darkness. But it wasn't numbness in the phyiscal sense like frost bite. It was deeper than that.

Only the soft, ambient glow from the television across the room provided the dark bedroom with any sort of light. She only ever bothered to turn it on so that the voices and noises would make her feel not so completely alone.

 _"... Tonight, on Kanto News Nightly..."_

Every night it was the same. A woman in a pants suit would sit behind a desk and announce the latest goings-on from across the region. A house fire, the latest beauty contest winners, the opening of a new Pokèmon Center, any number of bland stories sandwiched between commercial breaks. The weatherman with his terrible comb-over and bad jokes would give his forecast, and the sports guy would report in as well. It was all so mundane, so routine... simply background noise to lull her mind to an eventual slumber.

 _"… And now, our top story this evening..."_

Tonight, however, the anchor's tone of voice was more wholehearted than normal. It was almost gleeful. Intrigued, the girl sat up from her normal staryu-like, sprawled position in bed and began to watch.

 _"... All eyes will be on beautiful Sapphire City tomorrow evening, as the much-anticipated World League Tournament finally gets underway! The field of sixty-four is set, and fans across the globe are anxious to see who will earn the title of Pokémon Master..."_

Struggling to reposition herself as her waterbed rippled under her weight, she now offered the screen her undivided attention. Was it tournament time again? Had it really been four years already?

The broadcast cut away from the woman behind the desk to a magnificent aerial camera shot of the battle stadium in Sapphire City.

 _"... A capacity crowd of nearly eighty thousand spectators is expected to pack Sapphire Stadium tomorrow for the World League's opening ceremonies, with millions more watching from home..."_

The girl marveled at the extravagence of such an arena. It looked like a gigantic bowl sitting right in the midst of downtown. Currently empty, it was hard to fathom that there existed enough people in the world to fill it. Towering light fixtures bordered the outer ring. It was a prodigious sight to behold, and it would probably look even bigger from field-level the next day with all those people in attendence.

 _"... But the excitement has already begun in town as the entire city is eager to welcome the world's best to Sapphire City..."_

She watched as the broadcast switched to a shot of a large group of rabid fans camped out in front of the stadium. The line for tickets looked as if it stretched for miles. They were all cheering and waving, some wielding hand-drawn signs of support for their favorite trainers. Even from the random camera snapshots from downtown, she could almost feel the electricity in the air.

It was amazing to her how popular the Pokémon League had become as a spectator sport compared to even a few years ago. Today, elite trainers were like rock stars, featured on television and in newspapers all the time. Talk radio and T.V. sports networks analyzed battles endlessly. Famous trainers often found themselves endorsing products in commercials and crossing over into the world of entertainment and movies.

The sport had turned them into superstars, plain and simple, and in turn, the popularity and television ratings of the big Pokémon League competitions had skyrocketed because of their celebrity. And this week's World League Tournament was the grand-daddy of them all.

 _"... Four years ago, in a performance for the ages, the great Lance of Blackthorn and his powerful dragons battled their way to supremecy and took home the crown as the world's best. This time around, Lance returns to defend his title, but repeating as champion will be no easy task..."_

She was sitting up at the foot of her bed by now, riveted to the screen, resting her chin on her bent knees which she hugged to her chest. Replay footage from Lance's tournament win four years ago played. She remembered watching it like it was yesterday. It had been amazing to witness.

 _"... Assembling from all corners of the world, the World League features the greatest collection of elite trainers of anywhere on the planet. Each of the sixty-four has qualified for the tournament by earning the required one hundred career gym badges from across the world..."_

The anchorwoman's voice continued, providing background to her audience while more battle footage from past tournaments rolled.

 _"… The trainers then competed in regional qualifying tournaments in order to determine which sixty-four trainers would earn the right to set foot in the legendary Sapphire Stadium this week..._

"This year's final field of sixty-four is certainly a star-studded lineup, made up of respected current and former gym leaders, E4 members and other popular names in the sport. But it also features a number of fresh-faced newcomers looking to make a name for themselves.."

The screen then switched to show a visual diagram of the tournament tree which illustrated the anchor's words as she began to explain the format of the competition. The girl already knew how the tournament worked but kept watching anyway.

" _Tomorrow, the first round opens, with our field being divided into sixteen groups consisting of four trainers each. During this first leg of the tournament, each trainer will battle each of the others in his or her group once, with the top two from each group advancing to the second round._

"From there, the remaining thirty-two will duel in a single-elimination tournament, with the last trainer standing receiving the crown and the official title of Pokémon Master!"

"Wow," the girl whispered.

She tried to wrap her head around just how many people would be watching the competition. The entire world was essentially putting their lives on hold to watch it all unfold. No matter what regional conflicts or political issues were going on across the globe, it all took a backseat for the week. The magnitude of something as seemingly insignifcant as a sporting competition was really incredible.

While she was amazed by the popularity of battles on television, that did not mean that she was a novice when it came to training. On the contrary. She was very familiar with the sport.

In fact, that reminded her, she really did need to start preparing for next week, when she would be participating in her own battles. They obviously would not be on the level of a World League competition at Sapphire Stadium, but it was her job just the same. She jotted a mental note reminding her that she had been putting off the maintenance work on the field for over two weeks now.

"Ugh," she growled angrily at the thought.

She did not know why she even bothered thinking about work. She felt like she was suffocating once again. Her breathing quickened and she fell back onto the bed with a defeated whimper. The monotony, the loneliness, the pointlessness of it all... it made her feel like she was trapped, even in her own home.

Without removing her gaze from the ceiling, she felt around the mattress for the remote control with no success. With an annoyed grunt, she rolled out of bed to turn the T.V. off, but she paused when she heard the newswoman continue.

 _"... After the commercial break, we'll be joined in studio by a very special guest who will help us break down this week's action. We'll talk about some of the marquee trainers headlining this huge event, and we'll ask him whether or not he thinks Lance the Dragon Master has a chance to defend his title and repeat as Master._

"... And later, we'll tell you about a fifteen-year-old who is just days away from becoming the youngest trainer to EVER compete in this legendary tournament! So stay tuned. We'll be right back after these messages from your local sponsors..."

The girl stopped in her tracks, but not at the mention of Lance or any of the other famous trainers they would be discussing on T.V. It was the remark about the fifteen-year-old that piqued her interest.

"The youngest in history," she said to herself. She could not help sounding impressed.

To think, a teenager nearly her age going up against all these iconic battlers from around the world. She was interested to see who this hotshot kid was. He must be pretty good to have made it this far, she figured.

She stretched and yawned before bending down to retrieve a shirt near her feet. Laundry, both clean and not, littered her bedroom floor. She began dressing as a commercial for some sort of restaurant played. She was not entirely sure why she was bothering to get dressed at this hour, but she decided it would be too depressing to wear the same pajamas for two entire days straight.

With the bedroom still mostly dark, the girl pulled a pair of shorts up her legs and buttoned them. She stood in front of the mirror by her bed, trying to straighten out her bed head in the soft glow of the television.

As she finished, a framed photograph sitting on the adjacent dresser caught her eye when the light from the T.V. reflected off of it just right. She could barely make out the photo in the dark room, but it was familiar enough to identify. It was of a ten or eleven year old girl with fiery red hair. She was smiling wide, and her eyes seemed to sparkle like emeralds in the sunlight as she posed at the beach with her friends.

Lately, the first thing that always came to mind when she gazed at the photo was just how happy the little girl looked. It was difficult to remember what it felt like to smile like that.

Standing alongside the redheaded girl in the photo was a young boy. He appeared to be about the same age. He had a tangled mop of jet black hair and a pair of deep, chocolate-brown eyes, glistening with optimism and innocence.

A slight feeling of warmth almost touched the girl until she caught herself staring at the photo. She scolded herself as she often did. The girl in the picture was gone. There was nothing that could be done to bring her back, and it was a waste of time to dwell on that.

Just then, the news broadcast returned from commercial. The anchor with her meticulously arranged hairdo returned to the screen from behind her desk. She was joined by a guest.

" _Welcome back to Kanto News Nightly's coverage of the World League Tournament,"_ she said to the camera. " _Joining me now to give us his thoughts on this week's competition is a former World League participant himself. He is a decorated battler who is also a former gym leader from Cinnabar Island. He's Kanto's own, Dr. Kenneth Blaine..."_

She immediately recognized the old man. He was bald, his face careworn and wrinkled from age. Still, though, there was that fire in his eyes, the same as when the girl had met Blaine many years ago during her travels.

"... _Mr. Blaine, first of all, thank you very much for taking the time to be here tonight."_

 _"My pleasure."_

" _As someone who has competed against the very best during your career, can you tell our viewers at home, who are some of the trainers you are excited to see this week? Who should the people watching at home keep an eye on?"_

Blaine looked thoughtful for a few moments before opening his mouth.

" _Well, Lisa, predicting the outcome of a tournament like this with the best of the best all taking part... It's like trying to solve the world's hardest riddle. You have former league champions, gym leaders and even Elite Four members battling here. It's hard to pick a favorite..."_

Blaine and the newswoman continued to banter back and forth about many of the elite celebrity trainers, debating about whether or not each of them had a chance to win the tournament. All of the big names from around the world came up.

Lieutenant Surge, brash and powerful and, like Blaine, a former Kanto gym leader. There were E4 idols like Lorelei, Phoebe and Malva, each incredibly popular with the male fans for obvious reasons. Not to mention league winners like Cynthia, Wallace and, of course, Lance... all of whom would be in the same town at the same time tomorrow, all fighting to be named the very best.

" _I couldn't pick a winner if you held me over a bed of hot coals!"_ Blaine raved. " _Far too many talented trainers and pokémon in it this year. I'm just excited to see what happens!"_

The girl finished with her hair and sat down on the cold floor right in front of the television. Most of the names being discusssed were legendary. It was true, with so much talent set to compete, it was nearly impossible to predict what would happen.

After a few minutes of analysis, the reporter asked Blaine another question.

" _Okay, Mr. Blaine, we've talked at length about the stars of this competition. But what about some of the lesser-known trainers in the field? Is there anyone in particular that could surprise people this week with a strong showing?"_

The old man continued on about several of the lesser-known trainers. He broke down their battling styles, their pokémon, and their past accomplishments for the viewing audience. The man was like a walking, talking encyclopedia with his knowledge of every trainer.

Still lying on the hardwood with her head resting on her hands, the girl was beginning to get tired even though she had been in bed all day. She wished the show would hurry and get to the part she wanted to see. She needed to try to get some actual sleep if she was going to try to accomplish anything in the morning.

She began to frown at the thought of doing nothing but gym battles against snotty kids all next week, not to mention the mounds of paper work she had to get done regarding the gym's finances. She sighed. She remembered when her life used to be spontaneous and unpredictable. It was once filled with adventure and surprise, surrounded by friends. Something new and unusual around every corner… each day leading to a new journey.

But not anymore. Not since she had been forced to leave her friends all those years ago. She hated to think about that day but-

She stopped in the middle of her thought when the anchor and Blaine continued with their coverage.

"… _And finally, for fans looking for an underdog to cheer for this week, who should they watch for, sir?"_

A lump appeared in her throat. She suddenly felt a shiver sweep down her spine as the man's eyes twinkled in response to the question.

" _Well, I'd say everybody's biggest underdog is definitely the young kid_ ," Blaine replied with a smile.

" _Ah, you must be talking about the World League's youngest ever participant..._

… Ash Ketchum from the town of Pallet."

Her eyes nearly leaped from their sockets when she saw the young trainer's picture appear on the screen, his tangled black locks, the laser-focused determination in those eyes, the same as those from the photograph on the dresser. She gasped audibly and rubbed her eyes with her hands, pleading with them not to deceive her.

The anchor then recited some biographical information about Ketchum, much like she had done with some of the other trainers who were not as well known, so that the public could be introduced to them before seeing them on television all week.

 _"… At fifteen years of age, Ash Ketchum will make history later this week, when he will become the youngest trainer to ever step onto the battlefield as a trainer in the World League…"_

She still could not believe it. All she could do was stare in amazement at the T.V. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, but restrained herself. This had to be a dream!

 _"… Ketchum has accomplished many feats during his young career, including the Orange League and Kanto Battle Frontier championships several years ago. He has also posted strong performaces in the Johto, Sinnoh and Kalos Leagues, among others, on his way to earning his one hundredth career gym badge."_

Something resembling a smile nearly inched across the girl's face. A feeling of pride washed over her like a warm bath when she heard the list of all of Ketchum's accomplishments. But that pride quickly turned to anger when Blaine and the anchor began to discuss the young trainer further.

 _"… However, there are many people who believe that Ketchum is simply too young and inexperienced… and his pokémon are too weak for them to truly belong here with all these legendary trainers on this grand stage."_

She was glad for the news woman's sake that Ketchum was not there to hear her call his pokèmon weak. The corners of her mouth once again twitched at the thought of how he would have reacted.

"... _Don't get me wrong, Mr. Blaine. I think Ketchum has a bright future in the sport. But, come on. You don't really think a kid could step onto the field against any of the top trainers in the world and hope to beat them, do you? He's only fifteen, and he's never competed in a tournament like this before. His go-to battler is a pikachu for crying out loud!"  
_  
The girl scowled at hearing this idiot criticize the boy's ability. What did some bimbo with caked on makeup behind a news desk know about battling?

 _"I have seen him battle before, and the kid does have heart," Blaine admitted while clearly trying to hide a knowing smile. "But I agree. I think Ketchum is still too inexperienced to have any sort of real chance this week. He got a little lucky in the Kanto Regional Qualifying Tournament I think…"_

"Morons!" the girl shouted out loud at the old man's answer. She threw her haircursh across the room in anger.

Why was everyone underestimating Ash? They thought he was just lucky to be there? He had just as good a chance as anyone else. But she tried not to dwell on the so-called experts' opinion. She believed in him even if no one else did.

She lifted herself off of the cold floor and crawled back into her bed. She wrapped herself in the covers as she reminisced about her past life, before she was confined to this place.

"Where has the time gone?" she always wondered.

"… _Ketchum's heart and determination are the only things really going for him. I just don't think he can handle this kind of competition," said the reporter. "I Just hope the kid doesn't embarrass himself out there."_

As the segment finished on the television, the girl finally allowed herself to try to get her head around what she had just watched. Still in awe over seeing his face again, she finally allowed a smile to form. If the boy was anything like he was when they were both kids, he would find a way to prove these naysayers wrong.

"… _That will wrap up this pre-Pokémon World Champions League segment of Kanto News Nightly," the announcer said. "… Thanks to Mr. Kenneth Blaine for joining us tonight!"_

"Thanks for having me, Lisa."

"When Kanto News Nightly returns from commercial-"

She clicked the television off and stared up into the blackness again and thought about Ash Ketchum.

It seemed like just yesterday that he had inexplicably gotten himself caught on her fishing lure down by the stream. She thought back to that rickety old bicycle she had once owned and how he had managed to destroy it.

That overzealous little boy, quick to anger when teased, but always warm, passionate and thirsty for adventure. She always remembered him boasting about someday becoming a Pokèmon Master, which she had always dismissed as childish bravado. But, wow. There he was, an arms reach from his goals. He had actually done it, and at only fifteen.

"He must be so excited right now," she whispered to herself, clutching her heart.

She remembered how he would nearly pass out from excitement before even local gym battles. How must he be feeling before the biggest tournament in the world?

"I need to be there," she said suddenly. It was shocking to hear the words escape her lips, sounding so confident and firm.

She repeated it in her head a few times, trying to decide whether it was truly as crazy as it initially sounded.

"Come on, that's stupid," the girl growled, second-guessing herself. But as she thought about it more and more, the lunacy of the idea seemed to weaken.

She looked around at the dark, ransacked bedroom with weeks old laundry and food scraps strewn about. She thought about the old, run-down gym. It had been in her family for years, and while she felt responsible to keep it going, her life was one of lethargy and dullness. She had no purpose. She rarely ate, she always slept, and she no longer felt like a real person.

But while she felt like a trip to Sapphire City might do her some good, she worried that too much time had passed and too much distance had grown between her and Ash. She was a completely different person than the redhead in that photo, and the two of them had not even spoken in several years.

From time to time, she would receive word that he was back in Kanto, visiting home in between adventures, but every time, she seemed to make an excuse not see him.

"He's surely forgotten about me by now," she said sadly, taking another look at the photo.

Deep down she knew Ash could never forget about her entirely after all the time they shared together, but the fact that the two of them had drifted so far apart was far more hurtful than forgetting. It just meant that he didn't care anymore.

Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she forced them back, embarrassed. She knew that Ash had once cared about her, at least. She thought back to the day when their travels had ended and she was forced to return home to look after the gym.

" _I don't believe it could be just a coincidence that I met you out of all people,_ " she remembered him saying. " _We were meant to meet and become friends."_

She remembered seeing what she thought was a tear fall from Ash's glistening brown eyes just before they went their separate ways. All the memories of the days on the road, the campouts under the stars, all the gym battles and new experiences... thinking back on all those times seemed to energize her.

Ash had always been there for her as kids. They had been through so much together that she just knew that she had to be there for him now. She wanted him to know that she still cared about him. She remembered back to what she had promised herself back when she was ten years old.

" _Ash will never really be alone because he has… me."_

Even if he didn't need her anymore, and even though years had passed since she had last seen him, she felt like she owed it to him to be there to support him in person. She had to keep her promise. It was now or never. This was the biggest moment of his training life. She had to be there with him.

Predictably, her mind pleaded with her to remain in bed and consider all the reasons why she should not go. Did she really want to confront Ash out of the blue after all these years? What if he did not want her there?

But again using all her wonderful childhood memories as fuel, she huffed and stiffened her lip. She had made up her mind. The gravity of the situation cancelled out any awkwardness or fear she might feel about seeing him.

With her newfound determination, she climbed out of bed once again. It was the strongest she had felt in months. She glanced over at the digital alarm clock on her night stand. The bright read numbers told her that it was late. Normal people were all sleeping now.

She could catch an overnight flight if she hurried. She knew she wouldn't make it in time for his first match, which was early in the afternoon. Frustrated that she hadn't found out about his participation sooner, she quickly threw together her suitcase. Still, better late than never.

As soon as she was packed, she suddenly remembered the gym.

She contemplated for what felt like another hour over what she would do next. She could always close the gym for a few days and say she was going on vacation. There wouldn't be many trainers coming in this week anyway, as everyone would surely be glued to their television sets to watch the tournament.

 _But what will I do or say if and when I see him? Should I hug him? Will he even talk to me? Does he even want me there? He will remember me, won't he?_

All of those thoughts and more began racing through the teenage girl's head as she prepared to take this giant risk.

Finally, with conviction, the teen stood up and turned her bedroom lights on.

She shielded her eyes, knowing they would protest the sudden blinding flash. The flood of white light washed away the darkness, revealing the deep sea green-painted walls and pearly white woodwork. Quickly gathering her backpack, she took inventory of her supplies and money.

Finally, she used the new light to take one final appraisal of herself in the mirror. She felt like she hadn't seen herself like this in months, years maybe. Her eyes were no longer bloodshot and puffy but twinkling with hope. Her once fire-red hair had softened with age and now flowed down just past her shoulders as earthy copper locks.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and smiled at her reflection. For now at least, the weight that seemed to linger, pushing on her chest was gone. Her persistent feeling of anxiety seemed to be eased by loyalty and a sense of duty. No matter how scared she was, she knew she had to go on. It's what he would do.

"He needs you," she whispered to herself confidently as she took up her pack, turned off her light, and exited the room.

The girl thought about the statement she'd just said to herself as she made her way down her dimly-lit hallway. She corrected herself sheepishly as she made her way out the front door and into the dark, cold night.

"Or… maybe you need him."


	2. One: The Hoenn Champion

Here is the first chapter. Please let me know what you think!

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE: THE HOENN CHAMPION**

* * *

As he stood at the entrance of the dark tunnel, he felt the ground trembling beneath his favorite red trainers.

Up ahead, at the tunnel's end, a bright light beckoned to him, but he was unsure if his legs would allow him forward. The rumbling murmur from outside echoed in his eardrums, releasing a sudden chill to scurry down his spine despite the beads of sweat caking his brow.

"All right, son. You're all checked in and ready to go," a voice behind him suddenly said.

Startled, the boy turned around to see a uniformed official smiling warmly. The man handed him three red and white orbs before wishing him luck and departing. He held them in his hands, metal clinking softly against metal with the movement of his fingers.

The waiting was over. All the interviews and press conferences from the past week. The endless number of gym battles, the countless hours of training. All the years spent dreaming about this day had led to this. He was finally here.

"Pikapi?"

The boy looked down and smiled at his diminutive best friend. What a long road it had been. The snapshots of all the memories the two of them had shared ever since departing from Pallet all those years ago flashed through his mind.

"We made it," he said softly to the furry yellow rodent at his side.

Pikachu replied with an excited, high-pitched squeal and leaped up onto his familiar spot on his trainer's shoulder. He nuzzled the boy's cheek lovingly with his own, and the two of them shared a knowing smile. Neither of them needed to speak.

Finally, with the deepest breath he had ever taken, the boy forced his right foot to take the first step forward. His left foot followed. From there, adrenaline took over, and the next thing he knew, he was standing at the end of the tunnel, staring up in awe at the towering sea of people surrounding them. He immediately felt naked and exposed with the many thousands of pairs of eyes on him. Flashes of blinding light exploded from all corners of the stadium like fireworks. The roar from the crowd was literally deafening. He could actually feel the sound hitting him like a strong gust of wind.

"... _And now, here he is, all the way from the small town of Pallet... In his first ever appearance in the World League... At fifteen years old, the youngest participant in this tournament's illustrious history... ASH KETCHUM!"_ the stadium announcer's voice boomed from above.

The feeling that came over Ash when he heard his name was indescribable. He shivered again and felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand at attention like he was on the receiving end of one of Pikachu's electric attacks.

Despite everything, all he could do was laugh. The entire spectacle was overwhelming, and he was so nervous that he couldn't feel his feet. But he wouldn't have had it any other way. It was everything he had always hoped it would be.

"Just another battle, right, Pikachu?"

"Pi-Kah!"

The announcer paused to allow for the polite smattering of cheers that Ash had received from the crowd before continuing.

" _Opposing Ketchum in this first round battle... From the town of Littleroot, the defending Hoenn League Champion... BRENDAN BIRCH!"_

However boisterous the reception had been for Ash, the crowd was a hundred times louder when Brendan was introduced. The entire stadium shook. Ash had expected as much. After all, he was a nobody from nowhere, a teenager just lucky to be there. Brendan was the champion of Hoenn and a bona fide superstar. Ash didn't mind the biased crowd, though. He had always embraced the underdog role. It meant less pressure. It meant he had nothing to lose.

Ash watched as Brendan sauntered out of the tunnel and accepted the arena's applause on his way to the opposing end of the field. He was tall and angular, wearing his familar radiant smile and long, white stocking cap.

"There he is, Pikachu. _The_ Brendan Birch," Ash said as he watched Brenden wave to the crowd.

Ash had never met Brendan in person, but he knew he was a very gifted trainer with some true powerhouse battlers at his disposal. He remembered watching his incredible run through the Hoenn League on television, and it was surreal to now be sharing a battlefield with him.

After the crowd had settled, the two competitors walked from their respective ends of the concrete field and met at the middle. Brendan towered over Ash as the two of them shook hands.

"Good luck, Mr. Birch," Ash said with a slight bow.

"Please," he replied with a bashful chuckle, shaking his head. "Call, me Brendan. Mr. Birch is my grandpa."

"It's an honor to meet ya, Brendan, and an honor to be standing here on the same field as you."

Brendan smiled at Ash and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"I hope you aren't paying any attention to the papers, kid. You earned your spot here. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

"Thanks."

"Cheers," Brendan said, reaching to scratch Pikachu gently under the ear.

Ash nodded politely, and the two trainers shook hands once again before separating and returning to their respective ends of the field.

Brendan's words had been brief, but after a week of hearing nothing but talk about how he was too young, too inexperienced and not good enough to compete against the world's elite, Ash felt encouraged nonetheless. His pokémon had always been there for him no what, and Ash was determined to return the favor. Now that they had finally made it here, he refused to let them down.

"... _And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!"_

The crowd again erupted. The referee, dressed in all black, marched to the center line where he took up the microphone and waited for the crowd to simmer before he spoke.

" _This Group E first round match between Birch and Ketchum will now commence! In accordance with official Pokémon League rules, this will be a one-on-one match with each trainer allowed three battlers. Trainers may substitute at any time. The first trainer to eliminate all three of his opponent's pokémon will be declared the victor..._

" _Trainers ready? Then let the battle begin!"_

The referee signaled the beginning of the match with a wave of his arm, and the bell tolled. Brendan began the action, gracefully tossing his pokéball high into the air.

In that moment, everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Ash watched as the red and white orb floated against the sky blue backdrop, glinting beautifully in the sun. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath, focusing on the blackness and the words that Brendan had shared.

He thought about that day as a ten year old back in Pallet. He saw himself, a pink-cheeked, wide-eyed kid, huffing and puffing his way down the gravel road towards Professor Oak's laboratory to receive his very first pokémon. He allowed that same excitement he had felt that day to sweep over him, and when he opened his eyes, the stadium was gone.

The crowd was silent. The lights, the cameras and all the hype were no more. All that existed, all that mattered, was the field, the battle before him. He looked up at Pikachu and grinned. He had been right. This was just another battle, not unlike the countless number that they had enjoyed together back when he was ten.

Brendan's pokéball finally landed and snapped open with a flash of light.

A massive tank of a creature covered in rock-like armor appeared on the field and unleashed an ear-splitting roar. Ash immediately recognized Rhyperior from Brendan's legendary Hoenn League performances.

Calmly, Ash unclasped the first of his pokéballs from his belt. Clutching it in his hands, he could feel the subtle scratches and imperfections on the metal's surface, accumulated over years of travel.

"For old time's sake..." he whispered as he heaved the ball towards the center of the field.

When the flash subsided, a tiny, blue-skinned creature with a clay-colored shell materialized. He turned to wave at Ash, his big red eyes twinkling with determination to perform well for his longtime trainer. The crowd was oddly silent, as though stunned by the boy's selection, but Ash did not care.

" _And it will be Birch's Rhyperior versus Ketchum's Squirtle!"_

"Rhyperior, let's go!" Brendan called out immediately.

Obediently, the stone-bodied mound growled and lunged at its opponent, its massive arms cocked back, preparing to flatten Squirtle against the pavement. The quicker pokémon easily sidestepped the strike and leaped clear of the flying debris caused by impact.

"Quick! Bubble Beam!" Ash yelled.

While Rhyperior attempted to lift its heavy arms from the rubble it had created, Squirtle took a deep breath and exhaled a stream of large, glowing bubbles from his mouth, which flew towards Rhyperior and bursted upon impact. The rock monster screamed in pain, and the crowd cheered.

Angrily, Rhyperior again punched the concrete at its feet, piercing the field like it was a layer of soft snow. In one motion, it collected the broken cement and rock pieces in its clutches and hurled them in Squirtle's direction. If the spectators had been skeptical of Ash's pokémon because of his small stature, Squirtle instantly commanded their respect with his startling speed. He deftly danced, spun and leaped his way around the series of speeding rocks, avoiding each and every one.

"Yes!" Ash cheered. "Now, use Hydro Pump!"

On command, Squirtle propelled himself into the air and retracted his head and limbs into his shell, soaring towards Rhyperior like a flying discus.

Brendan immediately instructed his pokémon to prepare more rocky shrapnel with another massive punch. But before it could strike, the airborne, spinning Squirtle shell blasted Rhyperior with a powerful stream of water. The stadium echoed with the sound of another angry roar.

"Nice shot, Squirtle!" Ash shouted as his pokémon dismounted gracefully, completing the attack.

As the battle waged on, Rhyperior continued to shred the battlefield like it was tilling farmland, using the chunks of ground as missiles. But none of the projectiles were able to lock-on to the elusive Squirtle, who kept dodging attack after attack. After a while, the entire field had been reduced to a crumbled mess of dust and gravel.

"What's he doing?" Ash wondered aloud, staring across the way at Brendan, who looked unconcerned.

While Rhyperior seemed strangely content to continue destroying the ground, Squirtle was able to connect on several more timely water attacks in between his evasive manuevers. Ash was encouraged by this strategy. Squirtle's stamina and quickness seemed to be tiring out Rhyperior, while all the watery jabs he was landing surely had to be adding up.

"Keep it up!" Ash called out through cupped hands. "We're wearing 'em down!"

No sooner had the words escaped Ash's lips than he suddenly realized Brendan's plan. He heart sank when he saw it.

With the field mostly crushed to dust, all the water from Squirtle's attacks was beginning to pool in all of the cracks and crevices, combining with the sediment below to form a great deal of mud. Rhyperior fired a few more rocks, and it was apparent that the muddy conditions were affecting Squrtle's quickness until eventually, he was drudging around slowly, knee deep in sludge.

"Squirtle, get out of there!"

But it was too late. Having successfully nuetralized Squirtle's speed, Brendan went for the knockout.

"Horn Drill!" Brendan bellowed.

Ash could only watch as Rhyperior charged, unaffected by the mud. It lowered its head and struck the shackled Squirtle with sickening force, sending him flying through the air. All Ash could do was watch in horror. After what seemed like an eternity, Squirtle finally crash landed, kicking up a cloud of silt into the air. Once the dust settled, Squrtle was lying motionless, shell-up in a puddle of dirty water.

" _Squirtle is unable to battle!"_

The crowd erupted in appreciation of Brendan's strategy and the display of Rhyperior's raw power, knocking Squirtle out with a single blow. Ash wiped his brow and growled in frustration before returning Squirtle to his ball. Not only were Brendan's pokémon insanely strong, but he had also outsmarted Ash, neutralizing the one advantage he thought he had: speed.

Ash felt Pikachu scurry from one shoulder, across his back to the other. Despite the dire events unfolding before them, Ash chuckled. Pikachu could never sit still when he was excited. He looked up to see the rodent's beady eyes glaring menacingly at Rhyperior.

"Easy, buddy," Ash said. "You know your electric attacks wouldn't do much good against that."

Pikachu stood down reluctantly, and Ash threw his second ball onto the field.

With another bright flash, a sturdy, four-legged lizard appeared, sporting a healthy green bulb on his back. He eyed Rhyperior from across the field and snapped his powerful vines against the ground, splashing mud and gravel into the air.

"Bulbasaur, let's start this off with Solar Beam!"

Immediately, Bulbasaur leaped to a patch of the field that was in the sunlight. The bulb on his back began to stir and unfurled, drinking in the sun's rays. It began to glow and grow in size.

Rhyperior, anxious to strike before Bulbasaur could finish his attack, fired another round of boulders across the field. But like Squirtle before him, Bulbasaur demonstrated excellent agility, using the strong protruding vines from below his bulb to propel himself into the air and out of the range of Rhyperior's speeding rocks.

Still in direct sunlight while in midair, Bulbasaur's bulb reached maximum capacity, and a bright beam of concentrated solar energy shot towards Rhyperior. Without the luxury of the same quickness of the smaller pokémon, the Solar Beam struck the beast squarely, knocking it from its feet.

The crowd burst into applause again but sounded more shocked than anything to see Brendan's powerful pokémon crashing to the ground by the hands of such a small opponent.

"Nice, one, Bulbasaur," Ash shouted. "Don't let up!"

It was amazing to watch the stubby-legged lizard navigate the damaged and muddy battlefield with his vines like a pair of stilts. Rhyperior's continued rock attacks were not able to hit their marks, while once again, Ash stuck to his defensive strategy while sprinkling in a few well-timed vine whips.

Cautious after how Brendan had expertly turned the tables against Squirtle, Ash refused to let up despite Rhyperior's heavy breathing and sluggish movements.

"Let's finish this off with another Solar Beam!"

Once again, Bulbasaur bounced clear of another flying piece of rock and leaped towards the same sunbeaten patch of the field, readying his bulb for another drink of sunshine.

Suddenly, Ash heard Brendan shout from across the field. He couldn't tell what was said, but Rhyperior acted quickly, using its waning energy to stick both arms into the ground once again before reaching them high into the air. With another booming yell, Rhyperior blasted two huge clouds of sand into the air like smog leaving a smokestack.

A confused hush fell upon the crowd as the sandstorm enveloped the entire stadium. Visibility on the field was non-existent for a few moments before the prevailing winds began to clear the sandy fog up and out of the arena.

Ash, stifling a sneeze from the polluted air, was relieved to see the sand clearing. Out in front of him on the field, he could see Bulbasaur, and he waiting for him to unleash his Solar Beam. But something was wrong.

Bulbasaur's bulb, which normally would have been glowing brightly with all the solar energy, was sadly flickering.

Ash's stomach lurched when he realized that Brendan had once again managed to alter the field conditions to his advantage. With the cloud of rising sand blocking the sun, Bulbasaur appeared very lethargic and weary. His Solar Beam sputtered and weakly fizzled harmlessly from his bulb, not even powerful enough to reach halfway across the field.

The sandstorm eventually began to subside as the wind continued, but it was too late. The visibility improved just quickly enough for Ash to have a clear view of Rhyperior's right arm begin to glow and turn bright purple.

And as though energized by the storm, Brendan's pokémon charged Bulbasaur with frightening momentum. Reaching back, Rhyperior's arm erupted with a flash of purple as he struck the sluggish Bulbasaur with an incredible punch.

"No!" Ash shouted, knowing there was nothing he could do.

Ash's eyes followed Bulbasaur's ragged body in full flight after being throttled by Rhyperior's poisonous strike. The crowd reacted loudly to the crash landing, and the referee signaled that Ash was now down to his last battler.

Knowing now that his chances were slim, Ash fought to keep the doubt from creeping into his mind. Returning Bulbasaur to his pokéball, he ran his fingers through his hair and tried to compose himself. His last chance at victory hung at his side, latched to his belt. He unholstered his third and final ball, and held it in his hand. The metal felt hot against his skin as he reached back and hurled it high into the air.

"Pika-Pikapi!" cried, his tiny voice full of encouragement.

"I know, buddy," Ash whispered. "It's not over yet."

In midair, the pokéball snapped open, releasing a ball of bright orange fire. Emerging from the flames, a large, dragon-like beast with huge wings and a tree-trunk sized tail appeared. Already sensing the gravity of the situation, Charizard stretched his mighty wings and shot an enormous jet of red flames into the air. The extreme heat and power of the blast seemed to pierce and melt away the cloud of dust in the air, and the sunshine returned.

Ash stared at Brendan, who was as emotionless and focused as ever. He was not surprised in the slightest when the Hoenn Champion reached into his pocket and recalled Rhyperior. Ash already knew what was coming and could not help but hang his head.

In its place, Brendan sent out a hulking, blue beast wearing a crown of black fins on her head.

 _"And here she is, Brendan's famous Swampert!"_

Ash didn't need the announcer to explain to him who she was. Swampert was Brendan's premier player and had secured the final knockout in her trainer's championship back in Hoenn. And not only had Ash seen her power on full display, but she had an overwhelming advantage over his fire-type.

Charizard, unwilling to admit any sort of disadvantage, came out firing. He breathed another stream of glowing orange fire from his open jaws, the blast hurtling towards Swampert like a comet. And despite the type advantage Brendan's beast enjoyed, she was visibly affected by the sheer power of the flames.

Anticipating the counter from Brendan, Ash didn't wait to act.

"Up in the air, Charizard!"

With a powerful thrust of his wings, the fire dragon shot up into the air and out of reach of Swampert's return fire, answering back with another fiery blast.

From there, the two titans continued to put on an incredible display for the crowd to enjoy. Dueling jets of water and fire zoomed back and forth through the air. Both beasts absorbed numerous strikes, filling the stadium bowl with the sound of their screams. Still healthy enough to swoop and dive, Charizard was an orange blur, displaying awesome speed despite his size and the damage he had taken, like a fighter jet at war against a tank on the ground.

Ash knew Charizard wouldn't be able to fly around forever and that long range fire attacks just would not cut it against Swampert. If he was to take down Brendan's water monster, he knew he couldn't just have Charizard on the defensive the entire time. It was time to go for it.

"Wing Attack!" Ash yelled, feeling Pikachu's nervous paws tightening their grip on his shoulder.

Turning on a dime, Charizard dived like a bullet aimed directly at the ground, reaching such speed that his wings began to glow and his entire body burst into flames.

Brendan, still as stoic as ever, shouted something inaudible to Ash, but he didn't need to hear to know what was happening.

Swampert, standing directly in the path of Charizard's dive, followed suit and dived into the ground, using her shove-like flippers and sharp fins to dig. In less than an instant, the massive monster had burrowed underground completely, leaving a huge hole in the field behind.

Without time to instruct Charizard otherwise, Ash could only watch as his pokémon dived right into the hole after Swampert. Disappearing from view, an explosion of orange flames peeking up from underground briefly gave Ash hope.

However, such optimism was short lived as an ever louder boom shook the stadium. The flames protruding from Swampert's hole were extinguished, and a huge geyser of water erupted from it and shot towards the heavens, causing a downpour over the stadium despite the sunny skies.

The stadium was silent as the fountain of rushing water subsided until the hole was nothing but a deep puddle. Ash bit his lip, silently pleading for Charizard to come flying from below with his health remaining.

Finally, a scaly, orange body did emerge from the pool, but Charizard was motionless as he surfaced, face down, unconscious in the water. Swampert quickly followed, digging her way back up into view to the sound of deafening applause.

" _Charizard is unable to battle! The match goes to Brendan Birch of Littleroot!"  
_


	3. Two: Back to Basics

_Hi, everyone! Back with the second chapter. Please leave a review with comments or criticism you can. I would love to hear what people think!_

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Back to Basics**

* * *

As the final remnants of the waning sun disappeared behind Sapphire City's towering skyline, Ash stood and stared out the window, his fingertips resting on the cold glass.

He marveled at the city before him. From the ninth floor view of his room at the Pokémon Center, the vastness and detail of such a metropolis was a sight to behold. Pedestrians and vehicles down below looked like toys. It was an eerie feeling to realize just how small the big city made him feel, especially at a moment like this.

Evenings back in Pallet had always been peaceful, a time to unwind before bed. Here, sundown seemed to energize the city, infusing the boulevards with a colony of nighttime thrill seekers. Street lights and bright signage around town polluted the sky, dulling the twinkling ceiling of stars that Ash had always enjoyed as a kid.

Determined not to contribute, he limited the light in his room to nothing but the small desk lamp which buzzed and flickered like his failed Solar Beam attack hours ago. A blank pad of paper lying on the desk begged for ink to tickle its surface, but Ash's thoughts were too jumbled to allow the words to flow freely.

He gazed over at Pikachu who was curled up at the foot of the bed across the room. In all its disarray, his mind suddenly jumped back to that day years ago when he had first met his furry friend.

Ash closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, and the city skyline disappeared. In its place, he saw the rolling green hills and dirt roads, the cloudless blue skies and Professor Oak's old, rickety windmill. As he continued to concentrate, the car horns and traffic outside fell silent, and he could almost hear the soft coos of nesting pidgeys and the whispers of the summertime breeze.

Eventually, Ash opened his eyes and a blurry view of Sapphire City returned. Surprised by the moisture welling up in his eyes, he quickly reasoned that the dry, stale air was the culprit and wiped his face with the back of his hand.

He sat back down at the desk and stared at the paper in front of him. In his mind, he had so much to say. He longed to speak with her, to see her face one more time.

Feeling all the words he had for her rushing to the forefront of his mind, Ash finally unsheathed his pen and began to write.

* * *

 _I know you won't get to read this letter. I know you haven't gotten to read any of my letters, but as always, I just want to tell you again how much I miss you._

 _You probably saw already, but the match today didn't go so well. It was horrible, in fact._

 _I already know what you would say. You'd tell me not to give up, that it's only the first match. You'd remind me of all the times growing up that I failed only to come back stronger each time._

 _Even though I already know what you'd say if you were here right now, I still wish you were. I would give all this up in a second if it meant I could see you again._

 _I want you to know how sorry I am for not spending more time with you while I could. Ever since I was ten years old, before that really, I've wanted to be where I am right now. I've spent most of my life training and preparing for it, but now that I'm finally here, I'm not sure what to think anymore. It's cost me so much to get here._

 _I just_

* * *

A sudden knock on the door interrupted Ash's train of thought.

After all the post-match interviews and questions asking what had gone wrong against Brendan, Ash had zero interest in speaking with reporters ever again. He remained silent, hoping that whoever was at the door would give up and leave.

Another knock.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu squeaked groggily from the bed.

Ash put his finger to his lips and extinguished the desk lamp. After a final knock, Ash heard a jingling sound, and the door knob slowly turned.

The door opened, revealing a young woman with long, platinum hair, probably not a whole lot older than Ash. She was dressed in a pastel yellow dress which looked dirty and disheveled as she wearily pushed a wheeled cart into the dark room. As soon as she flicked on the light switch, she shrieked in surprise to see Ash and Pikachu staring back at her.

"What? Couldn't be bothered to answer the door?" she said stiffly, clutching her chest as she tried to regain her composure.

The girl did not wait for a response before slowly coaxing her cart into the room. Her shoulders were hunched as she trudged past Ash, her blue eyes lacking luster above the visible bags she wore under them.

Without another word, she grabbed a pile of clean towels from her cart and headed for the bathroom. She seemed completely content to pretend that Ash and Pikachu weren't there. Ash, puzzled, glanced over at the clock on the nightstand.

"Does, uh, housekeeping usually come around at this hour?" he asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Give me break," she whined, the sound of her impatience echoing from the bathroom. "Do you have any idea how many toilets I've scrubbed today. Half the staff called in sick today so they could watch that stupid tournament, and this place is jam packed with you people. I've been on my feet since sunrise."

"Us people?"

The girl sighed as she emerged from the bathroom and hastily started to pull up the bed sheets.

"Yeah, you people. You know... trainers," she replied without looking up, her face contorted in disgust.

"What's wrong with being a trainer?"

The maid shook her head and chuckled to herself as she returned the used bedding to her cart. She stopped briefly to give Ash an appraising look before returning to her duties.

"I know, I know," she said raising her hands up. "We regular folk, we're supposed to worship you guys. I forgot. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect."

Her voice was rich with sarcasm, and Ash could actually feel the tension in the room thickening.

"There's this trainer staying on the sixth floor, could hardly stand up, he was so drunk. He told me that if I cleaned his room without my clothes on, he'd get me free tickets to watch his next match! Can you even imagine how honored I was to be objectified by a real-life World League trainer?!" the girl said with an exaggerated swoon.

"What? That's horrible! Who-"

"What makes you all so special anyway?" she interrupted, her tone turning more serious as she gestured toward Pikachu. "You're famous because you force that poor little thing to fight other pokémon? It gets beat up, people get to watch and cheer, and you get the credit. What a hero you are!"

Ash was speechless. What was this girl's deal? He could feel his cheeks getting hot. He was more than a little annoyed by her assumptions and growing hostility, but he was in no mood to get into a shouting match with someone who didn't know anything about him.

"Listen, I-"

"Sorry, can we save the chit chat?" the girl snapped. "Do you mind if I just do my job and get out of here? I only have a few more rooms to finish, and I don't want to miss my train home."

All Ash could do was laugh to himself in defeated disbelief. He reached for his shoes.

"Gladly," he said. "I could use some air anyway."

The idea of facing whatever straggling reporters and photographers that were still toiling about the lobby seemed like an absolute treat compared to this. Pikachu seemed to agree as he bounded up off the bed as soon as Ash stood up. The silence was uncomfortable as he laced his shoes and shouldered his backpack while the young maid finished making the bed.

"Have a nice night," Ash called over his shoulder as he walked out the door with Pikachu perched on the other.

Once he made it down to the Pokémon Center's lobby, Ash was relieved to see that most of the media mob had retired for the night. In fact, it was almost completely deserted except for a few people sitting in the visiting area across the way and the bubbly, pink-haired woman manning the front desk.

"Enjoying your evening, Mr. Ketchum?" she asked with a smile as he approached.

Despite his current mood, Ash nodded and politely declined her offer to arrange for a taxi to take him out. A ride would do him no good as he had no destination in mind. After the day he had just endured, he just needed to walk, to get away for a while.

Exiting the big, sliding glass doors, Ash was immediately greeted by all the garish sights, sounds and smells of the big city. From down at street level, everything seemed brighter and louder, overwhelming him to the point that he winced in pain. The traffic, the droves of pedestrians and all the bells and whistles that Sapphire City offered, it all seemed like a blur buzzing around him like a swarm of angry beedrill.

Feeling the anxiety beginning to overtake him like being plunged into an icy bath, Ash began down the sidewalk. The thought of turning around and returning to bed echoed persistently in the back of his mind, but his legs would not cooperate. Besides, he wanted to make sure he allowed plenty of time for Little Miss Sunshine to finish with his room and leave before he returned.

As he continued down the lamplit street, he could not help but replay the match against Brendan over and over in his head. Visions of Squirtle, Bulbasaur and Charizard, three of his most experienced and powerful pokémon, all lying facedown in the rubble of the battlefield, made him sick to his stomach.

Brendan had dispatched of all three with such minimal effort that Ash could not help but question his own abilities. He again thought about all that he had sacrificed over the years, all the hard work he and his pokémon had put in to get here. Had it all been a waste?

He missed those days, years ago, when his youthful exuberance and naivety would prevent these sort of emotions after a tough loss. He thought fondly about all the beautiful places he had visited back then and was reminded of all the great friends he had made along the way. No matter how tough the loss, they had always known how to lift his spirits.

More city blocks passed as Ash felt his heart swell with affection for each and every one of his childhood traveling companions, and for a brief moment, he could almost feel their presence, like a warm hug. But when he remembered just how much time he had let pass since he had last spoken to any of them, the warmth dissipated, and his sadness returned.

The sound of a nearby airplane humming from above made Ash slow his pace as he gazed up towards the sky. He would have given anything to be a passenger headed safely back to Pallet. The thought of having to endure two more matches against world class trainers as good if not better than Brendan caused an audible whimper to escape from his throat.

"Pikapi?"

Ash felt a soft nudge from a cold nose against his neck and stopped at the crosswalk. He looked over to see Pikachu still perched on his shoulder with an expression on concern on his furry face.

"Sorry, buddy," he said, forcing a weak smile and continuing towards the intersection with his head down. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

But Pikachu hadn't simply been angling for attention. Ash stopped suddenly, almost running over the two young boys standing in his way on the sidewalk.

"Whoa!" Ash gasped, regaining his balance. "Sorry. Didn't see you there.

Neither of the sandy-haired boys spoke right away. They both looked to be about half Ash's age, maybe a bit older, and their eyes were wide, glittering with a mixture of shock and terror.

"Are you guys okay?" Ash asked after the silence had grown awkward.

"You... you're..." the smaller of the two boys stammered and pointed up at Ash and Pikachu, unable to properly form his sentence.

The other boy, looking extremely embarrassed and a bit more composed, placed a pacifying hand on his shoulder before turning back to Ash.

"Sorry, Mr. Ketchum... Sir," he said firmly, although it was clear he too was nervous. "My little brother here is a big fan. W-we both are... fans, that is. We saw your match today."

"I'm sorry I didn't give much of an entertaining performance," Ash replied with a weak chuckle.

The two boys looked at each other in amazement as if they were surprised that Ash was even bothering to acknowledge them. Apparently emboldened by this, the younger boy finally found his tongue.

"Are you kidding? You were awesome," he said, almost shouting. "My dad says it's amazing that you even made it into the tournament. You're only fifteen!"

Still not in the mood to socialize, Ash politely nodded and forced a half-smile.

"Thanks, guys. That's nice to hear, especially after today."

"Do you think... Could we maybe have your autograph, Mr. Ketchum?" the younger brother asked, boldly. "The kids at school will never believe we actually met you."

The older boy quickly nudged his brother with an elbow, looking incredibly regretful as he grunted under his breath, "We don't have time for this. Bobby told us to hurry back."

"Something wrong?" Ash asked, sensing the boys' stress.

Eyeing each other like two school children about to be punished, the boys did not answer right away. Finally, the older brother, with a deep breath, began to explain.

"Well, you see... Our friend, Bobby, he just turned ten, and he got his first pokémon today. He wanted to catch more before he starts going for gym badges, but he says the really strong pokémon only come out at night. His parents won't let him go out alone at this hour, so he snuck out, and we're helping him."

"It's probably not the best idea to disobey your parents," Ash replied quietly. "You guys should probably get home."

"We know. We never wanted to sneak out, but we couldn't let Bobby go alone. And we can't go home yet. We have to hurry and get some potions from the Pokémon Center."

"Potions?"

"Yeah, we found a few pokémon by the pond by our house, but Bobby's spearow isn't that strong yet, and he says he won't go back home until he catches something. He sent us to get potions."

Ash could not help but chuckle. He remembered the days when he caught his first pokémon as well as the stubborn attitude that he had carried at that age.

"Tell you what," Ash said, still eager to be left alone. "I have a couple of potions. Take 'em."

He removed two small glass vials of pink liquid from his bag and handed them to the boys, both of whom were wide eyed as though they were being presented with some sort of holy treasure.

The younger boy stared at the bottle in his hand then back at Ash. A big grin began to stretch across his pink-cheeked face as his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Mr. Ketchum," he said before taking a deep breath. "Would you help us catch some pokémon? I don't know if Bobby really even knows how, and I bet you've caught a thousand of them."

His older boy's jaw immediately dropped at his brother's audacity, which made the corners of Ash's mouth twitch once again. He had to hand it to the kid. He had guts.

"I-I'm sure Mr. Ketchum has better things to do," his voice quivered with embarrassment.

"Pika!" Pikachu suddenly cried excitedly as he leaped down from Ash's shoulder to join the boys.

Ash exhaled deeply. He knew what Pikachu was doing. Despite his desire to sulk all evening, Ash couldn't be mad at his faithful partner for at least trying to help him take his mind off his failure.

"Pikachu seems to like the idea," the young boy said with a giggle.

"Stop. Sam, seriously. Quit bothering Mr. Ketchum."

"We've been training so hard lately, it has been a while since I've caught a new pokémon," Ash said with relenting sigh. "What do you think, Pikachu? Should we see if I remember how to do it?"

"Pika-chu!"

Ash again struggled to contain his laughter as he watched the boys mentally put together exactly what he had said. Their confusion gradually transformed into elation then  
disbelief.

"You mean... You'd come with us?" the smaller boy said, his jaw gaping. "You'd really come help us?"

"Yeah, why not? On one condition, though..."

"What is it?"

"You gotta tell me your names. My mom told me a long time ago that I shouldn't talk to strangers."

Ash's attempt at humor seemed to be lost on the boys, as they remained beside themselves just to be conversing with him.

"I'm Preston," the older boy announced formally. "And this is my brother, Sam."

"Sam, huh? That's a great name. Nice to meet you both. Well what do you say we go find Bobby and see what we can find by this pond of yours."

"Awesome! Yeah, follow us. We don't live far, just on the edge of town," Sam said with a giddy fist pump.

The boys high-fived and shared matching grins as they took off running down the sidewalk, beckoning Ash and Pikachu to follow.

Seeing the boys' excitement did seem to raise Ash's spirits slightly. After all the media attention his stinker of a performance earlier that day had garnered, he had to admit that it was nice to meet someone who did not think he was complete garbage.

" _Mr. Ketchum? What went wrong out there today?"_

 _"Do you think your inexperience was the reason Brendan beat you so soundly out there, Ash?"_

 _"How do you respond to those who say you just aren't ready for this level of competition?"_

As he and Pikachu jogged to keep up with the boys, the reporters' questions from a few hours prior rang loudly in his head. But Preston's heavy-breathing and Sam's joyous giggling seemed to quell those inner demons. With the traffic thinning and the streetlights and big buildings becoming fewer and farther between, Ash began to find himself joining the boys in their excitement.

"We're almost there," Sam announced over his shoulder.

Still able to hear the low hum of the city off in the distance, Ash's lungs burned, but he didn't care. The memory of how elated he was to catch that caterpie in the Viridian Forest all those years ago felt strangely fresh in his mind, and it seemed to power his legs as the boys led him through what was now a quaint neighborhood lined with trees and small homes.

"Over here," Preston called out as they turned into the yard of a particularly shabby house with dim, faltering lamp hanging over the door.

Behind the house, though, was a sizable plot of land overlooking a small pond surrounded by wispy, waist-high vegetation. The calm water glimmered in the light of the moon, which Ash only noticed because of how far from the bright lights of downtown they had trekked.

"Is this your backyard?" he asked as the group stopped to catch their breath.

"No, we live a few blocks away, but Bobby says pokémon like to come and drink from the pond at night," Sam said.

As Ash and Pikachu followed the boys across the way towards the small body of water, he saw a shadowy figure down by the weeds.

"Bobby!" Sam called out in a sort of loud, hissing whisper.

"Did you bring the potions?" the boy, who was on all fours apparently searching the tall grass, replied. "I hear something in the grass, but I can't get it to come out so I can catch it!"

"Oh, we brought a whole lot more than potions," Preston said proudly.

"What are you talking ab-" Bobby sounded impatient but stopped mid-sentence as soon as he stood up and saw Ash and Pikachu.

With a similar response as Preston and Sam, the husky, blonde-haired Bobby dropped the pokéball he had been clutching in his hand and just stared in disbelief. Pikachu chirped a greeting, which made the boy jump.

"Nice to meet you, Bobby," Ash said.

"You're... you're... How did you... " he stammered maniacally.

"Bobby, get a hold of yourself," Preston said, stifling a chuckle. "Mr. Ketchum-"

"Please," Ash interrupted. "Call me, Ash."

"Right," Preston replied. "Ash and Pikachu have agreed to help us catch a pokèmon."

"Yeah, I told him you've never caught one before, and you don't really know how," Sam blurted out.

"I do so!"

Bobby seemed to recover his poise in response to Sam's comment. Even in the soft glow of the moon, Ash could see the boy blushing. Bobby quickly bent down to collect his pokéball and puffed out his chest with confidence.

"Of course I know how to catch a pokémon. I'm a trainer now, after all."

"Okay, so what's the plan, then?" Preston asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to lure them out of the grass so Talon can battle it. See, you have to weaken a pokémon before you can catch it," Bobby said knowingly before he returned to all-fours and stuck his head back in the weeds.

"Talon is his spearow," Sam whispered to Ash unnecessarily.

Ash nodded. He was content to just stand by and see how things would play out. He was amused by Bobby's bravado and desire to impress him as it reminded Ash of himself at that age.

"Ash, is that right?" Sam asked, eyeing Bobby suspiciously.

"Seems like a good plan to me," Ash said. "I might make one suggestion though."

"What's that?" Bobby replied from amidst the grass.

"You got an empty pokéball ready, Bobby?"

"Of course I do," the boy said smugly. "And no offense, but I think I can handle this."

"I know you can," Ash said, trying his best not to sound patronizing. "I'm sorry. You go ahead."

Ash, Preston and Sam watched as Bobby continued to crawl through the grass. The rustling indicated that there was indeed wildlife lurking within, but the boy seemed to be spooking them deeper towards the water.

"Doesn't seem to be working," Sam announced after a few minutes of watching Bobby's backside jutting out from the grass.

"Shut up, Sam," Bobby replied, embarrassment clear in his voice.

"Bobby, why don't you stand up and get your spearow ready," Ash said finally.

Reluctantly, the boy obeyed and returned to his feet. He shot an icy glare towards Preston and Sam as if to dare them to say anything more about his inabilities.

"It's okay," Ash said quickly, trying to reassure Bobby. "You'll be the one to catch it, but let's see if Pikachu can coax it out of there."

"Pika!"

Like a flash of lightning, Pikachu darted into the weeds, which rustled loudly for a few moments. All three boys were silent as they stood on their toes and craned their necks to try to see what was happening.

Suddenly a flicker of bright lightning flashed from within the vegetation, and a small creature shot up into the air, emerging from the grass. The small-bodied lump of a pokémon had shiny blue skin and a stout, feathery flipper of a tail.

"It's a poliwag!" Preston shouted as it landed a few feet in front of them.

"All right, Bobby, send out Talon!"

On command, the boy tossed his pokéball and his tiny winged creature appeared in a flash of light. She hovered opposite the poliwag and squawked menacingly despite its size.

"Get it, Bobby!" Sam cheered.

"Catch it!" Preston yelled.

"Will you guys, shut up?!" Bobby growled angrily, clearly looking nervous. "I need to concentrate."

The diminutive poliwag shuttered in fear as it saw Talon looming over it. Ash knew it wouldn't be long before it took off running back into the weeds. Bobby seemed to be hesitating, trying to work out what he should do first.

"Bobby," Ash whispered in a quiet but supportive tone. "Tell Talon what you want her to do first."

"Right," his replied, a slight tremble in his voice. "T-Talon! Use Peck!"

Obediently, the black-feathered creature swooped down towards the poliwag and drilled it in the side with her beak, sending the water-type sprawling backwards. Dazed, it jumped to its feet with a look of terrified desperation. The tiny tadpole's entire body suddenly began to seize, and it shot a weak stream of water towards Talon, which the spearow dodged easily.

With his confidence visibly growing, Bobby pointed towards the poliwag and shouted, "All right, Talon, finish it off with another Peck!"

In an instant, the poliwag was again sent flying by Talon's speedy attack. With a gentle thud, it landed in a heap on the ground and remained motionless, a blank look of defeat painted on its face.

Talon screeched and flapped her wings proudly. There were a few moments of stunned silence from the three young boys as they just stared at the poliwag lying in the grass.

"Now, Bobby! The pokéball! You got it!" Ash instructed.

Still stunned, Bobby fumbled into his pockets. His hand was trembling as he palmed a small metal sphere. He stopped and looked back at the group with a timid expression. Ash nodded and gave him a reassuring thumbs up.

With a deep breath, Bobby heaved the ball towards the poliwag. It soared in the air for what felt like minutes. Upon impact, the orb burst open and a flash of red light illuminated the night. When the glow had subsided, all that remained was the solitary pokéball lying on the ground with Bobby's new poliwag secured safely inside.

Another few moments of silence went by before all four boys erupted in collective cheers. Bobby sprinted over to his prize, bending down to retrieve the ball. He raised it in the air in triumph as he turned to face his companions with a wide grin.

"You caught a poliwag!" Sam yelled at a volume probably not appropriate for such a late hour.

"Nice work!" Preston added.

"Congratulations," Ash said, a genuine smile on his face.

"I don't know why you guys are acting so surprised," Bobby said, his hands proudly resting on his hips. "I'm going to be a great trainer someday. Obviously, catching a twerpy little poliwag isn't going to be a problem for me."

Ash laughed. Despite Bobby's attempt at arrogance, Ash could tell just how elated the boy was. A warmth overcame him that he had not felt in a very long time. The politics, the fame, all of the pomp and circumstance that came along with the Pokémon League now felt a world away. The early, simpler days of Ash's trainer career seemed fresh in his mind.

Suddenly, another jolt of lightning from within the tall weeds flashed in their eyes, stealing their attention back from Bobby's catch.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"Pikachu must have found another pokémon!" Bobby replied eagerly, reaching into his pocket for another pokéball.

Ash heard Pikachu growling from the grass. The remnants of another Thunderbolt scorched the air, and the grass rustled wildly from movement within. A purple flash of light ensued with a loud thrashing sound, and suddenly, a small, yellow blur was sent flying from the weeds back towards the boys. Pikachu crash landed at Ash's feet, his fur slightly charred from the attack.

Something was wrong.

"Pikachu? You ok?"

"Pika!" he snarled as he leaped back to his feet.

Flecks of electricity continued to spark from Pikachu's red cheeks as he bared his teeth towards whatever lurked in the weeds. Ash sensed that whatever it was, it was much stronger than a baby poliwag.

Another purple beam of energy shot out from the foliage, this time directly aimed at Ash, Pikachu and the boys. Reacting just in time, Ash was able to push the boys out of harm's way before the attack struck the ground on which they had stood.

A tiny bipedal creature finally emerged, hobbling out from the vegetation wearing a coat of sagging brown skin and drooping eyes of a sickly yellow color. It made a labored grunting noise as its eyes were firmly fixed on Ash and the boys. Despite the unprovoked attack it had just made, the creature's small stature and unhealthy limp seemed to ease the boys' concern.

"What is that thing?" Preston asked, taking a step forward.

"Yeah, I've never seen a pokémon like that before," Sam said.

"Stand back, guys," Ash replied, still cautious as Pikachu continued to growl.

Taking his Pokédex from his pocket, Ash aimed the sensor at the stumbling creature, whose eyes began to glow brighter as it lurched closer to them. Ash began to slowly backpedal, guiding the boys to do the same.

"Abra," the Pokédex's computerized voice announced. "The Psi Pokémon. When an abra senses imminent danger, it teleports to avoid attack."

"That thing's an abra?" Bobby said, peeking out from behind Ash's back. "Doesn't look like any abra I've seen."

"Yeah, and it certainly doesn't seem to have any interest in teleporting away," Preston added nervously.

Again, the strange pokémon, still fixed on the group, began to charge another energy beam. Instinctively, Pikachu bounded in front of Ash and the boys, charging his own electric attack.

Much to Ash's surprise, the supposed abra's focus never wavered. It looked right past Pikachu and changed the course of its pace to try to get around him. Pikachu looked confused, but nonetheless unleashed his Thunderbolt before the abra could fire its own attack.

With an aggrieved sound of suffering, the abra collapsed to the ground as the final tangles of electricity danced across its limp body before it fell silent.

"Nice work, Pikachu," Ash said as he walked over to examine the creature.

"Maybe it's sick," Preston suggested.

"Yeah, maybe," Ash replied, still unsure.

At closer examination, the creature did resemble the basic shape and body type of an abra, but something about it wasn't right. Its head appeared swollen, the color was an unnatural shade, and its yellow eyes seemed distant, lost somehow.

Ash had encountered abras several times before, and like his Pokédex had mentioned, they normally were shy, timid creatures who preferred to run from battle rather than initiate it.

"Well, we might as well catch it!" Bobby said, rearing his arm back to toss his second pokéball.

"I think you might be right about it being sick, Preston," Ash replied, holding up his hand to stop Bobby. "I think I'll bring it back with me to the Pokémon Center so they can look at it. It probably wouldn't do you much good anyway, Bob."

Ash took out his own empty pokéball and aimed it at the fallen abra. Once it was inside, he stood up and forced himself to smile at the boys.

"Well, I should be getting back for the night, guys."

Predictably, all three boys protested at first, but eventually conceded.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Ketchum!" Sam said, his eyes wide with admiration. "I can't wait to tell the kids at school that we hung out with you and that you showed us how to catch a pokémon!"

"Yes, thanks for coming and helping us out," his brother added in his formal tone. "And thank you too, Pikachu."

"Pika!"

"Not a problem. I had fun tonight, guys. Thanks for letting me tag along," Ash said with a grin. "And Bobby, best of luck to you and Talon and Poliwag on your journey. Someday you'll be battling in Sapphire Stadium too, I'm sure of it."

Bobby nodded silently, his mind apparently trying to process Ash's claim about his possible future. Understanding exactly how the young trainer must have felt, he stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.

"The road will be long, and it won't be easy," he said looking Bobby right in his astonished blue eyes. "But you have some great friends to help you along the way. Don't take that for granted. And don't forget to have fun. Don't let the dream of the destination keep you from enjoying the journey."

Surprised by the depth of the words that had escaped his own lips, Ash shook hands with each of the boys and bid them farewell.

On Ash's way back into town, the warm feeling he had felt lingered on. He thought about the sheer enthusiasm and joy on the boys' faces, and he remembered that he, himself, used to be just like them. He used to get so excited about the idea of catching a new pokémon that he could barely speak. He used to dream about the day he would become a Pokémon Master.

"Pikapi?" Pikachu cooed from his perch on Ash's shoulder.

"Thanks, buddy," Ash said genuinely. "I needed that tonight."

As they returned downtown, Ash felt more at ease. The tall buildings and speeding vehicles were somehow less intimidating. The idea of his next match, which was in two days against the former Unova Region Champion, Scarlet, seemed less daunting than before.

"They're right, you know," Ash said to Pikachu as they made the final crosswalk before the Pokémon Center. "It is pretty cool just to be here. We've come a long way, haven't we?"

Pikachu answered cheerfully and nuzzled his nose against his trainer's cheek.

"No matter what happens, we should be proud-"

A sudden sound of metal clanging to his left, stopped Ash in his tracks. It was followed by the sound of muffled voices. Running forward to investigate, Ash peered into the dark alley behind the Pokémon Center.

"C-come on, don't you know who I am?" a dark figure slurred from inside the alley.

"I said, get off me!" a struggling female voice answered.

Squinting the see into the shadows, Ash saw the silhouette of taller man with his arms wrapped around a slender girl wearing some sort of hooded cloak, who was obviously trying to get away. He had her pinned up against a large metal garbage dumpster.

"Quit fighting it. Y-you know you want to," the man persisted as he stumbled to keep the girl restrained. "Letzz just go up to my room, and we'll have a little fun."

"Let her go!" Ash bellowed, his voice echoing through the narrow alley.

The man turned his head and stumbled a bit, causing his face to emerge from the shadows. His eyes were glassy and bloodshot. His normally meticulously well-groomed brown hair was messy from the struggle, but Ash immediately identified the drunken man by his long nose and muscular physique as Thad Rollins, a wealthy World League trainer who just so happened to be the fourth in Ash's group along with him, Brendan and Scarlet.

"Didn't your mum ever tell you to mind your own business, boy? Me and this pretty little thing have some business to take care of upstairs," Thad sneered, leaning down to smell the girl's hair.

"I said, let her go," Ash repeated, his face feeling hot with anger.

Once again, sparks began to crackle from Pikachu's cheeks at the alley's opening. But before Ash or Pikachu could do or say anything else, the girl in the hooded shawl acted with breathtaking speed.

Ash wasn't sure how, but in one fluid motion, the girl managed to land a powerful punch to Thad's neck before contorting her body out of his grasp. As he stumbled, she quickly aimed a surprisingly quick and powerful kick to the back of his knee, sending him down to the ground. On the way down, he hit his head against the garbage dumpster with a loud clang and remained passed out in the filth.

"Wow," Ash said, shocked to see such fighting acumen from the girl.

"Pikaaaa," Pikachu chimed in, sounding equally as impressed.

"Hey, nice one," Ash called out to the mysterious girl. "Are you okay?"

He took a step forward into the alley, and the girl turned to look back at him, her face still shrouded in the darkness underneath her hood. They stood like this at opposite ends of the alley, motionless for a few moments, but before Ash could get a closer glimpse at her, she took off sprinting past him and Pikachu without a word.

"Hey, wait!" Ash cried.

But it was to no avail. With her brown cloak rippling in the wind behind her, her long, bare legs carried her away down the street and out of view.

"Well, that was strange," Ash said, confused. "I hope she didn't think we were gonna try to hurt her too."

With a shrug, he turned his attention back to the unconscious Thad still lying in the alley. When they had confirmed that the man was simply asleep, Ash yawned and stretched his arms skyward.

"What a day, huh?"

"Pika-Chu."

"What do you say we head on in and go to bed?" he asked, still feeling the warmth of what had turned out to be a fun and exciting evening. "We'll let Joy know that there's some trash to clean up out here."

"Pikapi..."

* * *

 _That's Chapter Two! Please review if you have time :)_


	4. Three: The Unova Champion

_Hello, here is the third chapter. Please let me know what you think with a review :)_

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE: THE UNOVA CHAMPION**

* * *

The towering stadium lights burned bright against the dark backdrop of the evening sky, casting jagged shadows across the entire battlefield below. Once again, the seams of the arena were practically bursting with the number of raucous fans packed into the seats.

Ash stood tall at his end of the field as the pre-match histrionics came to a close. Unlike his first battle, though, this time there were no sweaty palms or wobbly knees as he easily blocked out the deafening crowd and peered confidently across the lines at the flamboyant Scarlet standing in her high heels and short, red skirt.

The entire stadium was clearly favoring the bodacious redhead whose pouty lips and long, shapely legs were on full display as she blew kisses to the stands in exchange for their applause. Having narrowly lost to Thad Rollins in a bit of an upset in her first match, the former Unova Champion was poised for a win, and all of the media pundits were predicting one for her today.

Despite all this, however, the events of a few nights ago had seemed to somehow restore Ash's self-assurance and passion for the sport. Sam, Preston and Bobby had helped remind him exactly why he loved all of this, why he had always dreamed of being here. Free from the pressure of attaining greatness in the eyes of all those people whose opinions mattered not, Ash decided to embrace his underdog role and simply enjoy himself.

"Ready, buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu who also seemed loose and excited as he stood by his side.

At the referee's signal, the sultry beauty gracefully plunged her slender hand down the neckline of her dress and removed a pokéball from in between her breasts. The crowd erupted in cheers and whistles as she tossed the ball onto the field.

A bulky bipedal creature with a large red snout and dagger-like tusks appeared wearing a blazing collar made of fire. Ash recognized Scarlet's emboar immediately as her most famous and powerful battler from her highly publicized championship a few years back. He had been ready for this.

In response, Ash casually lobbed his pokéball into the ring as well. Materializing from the flash of light, a slender beast with red and white fur and a head of luscious orange fire appeared and thumped the ground with his fists.

While the entire watching world was touting Ash as just some small town kid who had qualified to the tournament by virtue of sheer, dumb luck, he relished the opportunity to show his critics that Infernape was living proof of what a lifelong underdog was capable of becoming.

Scarlet began the match by commanding her emboar to charge Infernape, utilizing his superior size and brute strength. Ash could feel the ground rumble beneath the swine's heavy hooves, but stood calmly, waiting for the last possible second.

"Infernape, use Dig!" he shouted finally, just as Emboar's lowered head was nearing its target.

With agility and grace honed from years of training, Infernape did a backwards hand spring to avoid Emboar's head butt and dived head first towards the concrete. His hands were a blur as he dug himself into the ground and disappeared into the fresh void.

Emboar screeched to a halt, looking a bit bewildered by the speed with which Infernape had moved. Scarlet signaled to her pokémon, and he fired a powerful jet of flames down into the hole after Infernape.

But before the fire could reach its target, Infernape suddenly surfaced right at his opponent's feet with an explosion of flying dust and rock. He landed a powerful Mach Punch to Emboar's snout as he ascended skyward just before the swine's own flame attack erupted from the new hole Infernape had created. Not able to react quickly enough, Emboar caught the fire with his face as well.

As Infernape dismounted, the crowd seemed stunned for a few moments before breaking out into impressed applause for the double attack Infernape had pulled off. Ash pumped his fist, but knew that nothing had been decided yet.

"Infernape, don't let up!" he called out over the roar of the arena. "Keep digging!"

Once again, the fiery pokémon dodged another beam of fire by plunging himself underground before reappearing and hitting Emboar with a well-placed flying kick to the belly. Over and over, Infernape swiftly burrowed, creating crater after crater in the battlefield until the entire surface was completely littered like a minefield. Infernape took a few flames to the chin during the melee but seemed to shake them off with relative ease as his speed did not waver.

Ash couldn't hear Scarlet over all the crowd noise, but her next command resulted in Emboar shooting a spinning blast of crackling fire into the air. With the help of the steady breeze, the flames grew and formed a smoldering whirlwind of red and orange, surrounding and engulfing Infernape in the middle of the funnel. Although not particularly bothered by the heat as a fire-type, the twister did slow the speedy pokémon down just enough for Emboar to land his next attack.

As the primate gingerly pushed his way through the burning walls to free himself, the hulking emboar reared back and threw two large boulders of loose concrete at blinding speed towards Infernape. With the sickening sound of rock hitting soft flesh, Infernape howled in pain as he was sent flying backward before crash landing near Ash and Pikachu's feet.

The crowd cheered, leaving Ash with a firm reminder that despite his newfound confidence, Scarlet was a former champion for a reason. Infernape's legs quivered as he stood up slowly and jerked his head to try to clear the pain.

"You okay?" Ash asked, readying another pokéball if need be.

Infernape nodded stubbornly, fixing his blue and yellow eyes on his burly adversary as his chest heaved with fatigue.

"Double Team!" Ash shouted.

Infernape closed his eyes and again vaulted himself into the air where he split himself into a dozen or so identical copies. The multitude of Infernapes all landed, surrounding Emboar, who whirled his head around as he attempted to identify the original.

Infernape used this as a much needed opportunity to catch his breath while Emboar futilely fired rocks and flames at random towards the illusions. By the time all of the copies had finally been vanquished, Scarlet's pokémon was staggering and breathing heavily from exhaustion as well.

Ash, knowing now was his chance, instructed Infernape to go at Emboar with everything he had.

His eyes glowing orange, Infernape lunged at Emboar and the two began throwing punches like two street fighters. The former's hands were invisible with speed, landing many quick jabs while Emboar did his best to fend them off with his size. The massive beast began to backpedal slowly under the persistence of Infernape's swipes and kicks, swinging his heavy limbs wildly without much success.

Scarlet again shrieked an inaudible command, and immediately, her emboar tucked his head and wrapped his arms around his body so that he looked like an enormous red ball. As Infernape landed a few final punches, the curled-up emboar began to spin with increasing speed like the wheel of an oversized race car. The Rollout attack crashed into Infernape, who again buckled and fell to the ground before being trampled underneath the runaway boulder of a creature as he spun past.

"Infernape!" Ash cried out as his pokémon struggled to peel himself up off the ground.

Dazed and in excruciating pain from being flattened, Infernape finally climbed to his feet. Emboar, however, still spinning like a fiery saw blade, had turned and was heading back towards Infernape again.

Ash, staring at the huge, incoming ball, feared that one more strike would finish his fighter. As he surveyed the scene though, something clicked inside his head, and he suddenly knew exactly what to do. It was a long shot, but it was probably his only chance.

"Infernape, hold your ground. Let it come."

Pikachu looked up at him with a confused look on his furry face. The jeers from the crowd signaled that they too were stunned by his strategy. It had worked once, but with how tired Infernape looked, it was risky to try to tempt fate in such a manner.

Obediently, though, Infernape stood stationary, his legs twitching from exertion as Emboar hurdled towards him at breakneck pace.

"Now!" Ash screamed desperately just as Emboar was about to collide.

With the last of his energy, Infernape leaped out of the way of the oncoming Rollout and just barely avoided impact. What happened next stunned the entire stadium into complete silence.

As Infernape nimbly landed out of harm's way, Emboar had rolled right into one of the holes that littered the field from the previous Dig attacks. The pudgy pokémon had lodged himself face down in the opening and could not get free. Everyone in attendance was treated to the view of Emboar's backside protruding from the pit. Desperate geysers of fire shot up from the other holes on the field as Emboar was apparently trying to blow himself free with the force of his flame attacks. There were audible smatterings of laughter from throughout the stadium at the sight of such a huge creature stuck in the ground, flailing his legs helplessly.

"Infernape, Mach Punch!" Ash commanded calmly, keeping his focus.

The flame atop Infernape's head flared brightly, and his fist began to glow as he reached back for all the force he could muster. With a running start, he threw a devastating punch to the entrapped Emboar's exposed gut. The force of the impact dislodged him and sent him shooting into the air along with a great deal of rubble and silt before he landed with a definitive thud before her.

"Emboar is unable to battle," the referee's amplified voice boomed throughout the stadium.

Again, the cheers from the stands were limited as the majority of spectators were more shocked than enthralled. Ash's strategy has been masterful, his use of the actual battlefield to his advantage not unlike that of Brendan during their previous contest. The snot-nosed teenager had actually knocked out one of Champion Scarlet's strongest battlers.

"Great job, Infernape. Take a breather," Ash said as wiped his brow and returned Infernape to his ball.

He took a deep breath to settle himself down. He smiled down at Pikachu as he took his next pokéball from his belt.

"This is fun, isn't it?" Ash quipped, trying to downplay the intensity of the moment.

"Pika!"

Ash sent out his next pokémon: a large, six-legged creature with a smooth, red shell and two jagged claws, one much bigger than the other. Kingler snapped his pincers loudly and stood at the ready as Scarlet threw her pokéball in the air as well.

Scarlet's flareon appeared on the field looking spry with her orange and yellow coat glistening in the lights. Wasting no time, the graceful monster sent a great ball of fire flying towards Kingler, whose speed was not enough to avoid it.

Though holding the type advantage, Kingler was sent sprawling backward by the raw power of the attack. He emerged from the cloud of smoke with charred, black soot caked on his shell, but the healthy gleam in his eyes remained.

"Crab Hammer!"

Springing off his spindly but surprisingly powerful legs, Kingler shot towards Flareon like a rock skipping across a pond. He raised his mighty claw and threw it down on top of Flareon's head as she tried to scamper past. The fire-type was knocked down to the ground where she whimpered in pain.

"Quick, another Crab Hammer, Kingler!" Ash shouted, recognizing that Flareon was having trouble getting her bearings.

Again, Kingler propelled himself into the air and readied another downward claw strike, but before he could deliver, Flareon's smooth fur began to glow with crackling red embers like cloth being set ablaze. A thick, black smog was released up into the air straight into Kingler's face. Blinded, the shell-shocked water-type writhed in agony as he landed head first onto the concrete.

Flareon shot towards the sluggish Kingler with increasing speed. Before he could right himself, she thumped the bigger beast with a head butt to the underside of his belly, sending him soaring through the air towards Ash and Pikachu. Too small to do anything to break Kingler's fall, Ash was forced to sidestep his descending pokémon and was only able to watch as it landed and skidded across the field, its claws and legs twisting limply like a rag doll.

"Kingler!"

Slowly hoisting himself up off the ground, Kingler was hit again by another Flamethrower. It wasn't the most effective attack, but it still knocked the crab backward, and Ash knew he must act quickly.

"Use Surf!" Ash shouted.

Kingler aimed both claws down by his side at the ground. As his entire body began to seize, two powerful jets of crystal clear water shot from both claws, propelling the pokémon towards his opponent like a jet pack.

At Scarlet's insistence, Flareon did her best to avoid the oncoming Kingler, who sped after her riding his wave of water. Her world class agility was on full display as she scurried all around the field. The amount of water Kingler had ejected was incredible, but he continued the chase.

The crowd seemed skeptical of Ash's attack when finally, Kingler had exhausted his supply of water without ever spilling a so much as a drop on Flareon. Scarlet was looking smug from across the field, evidentially proud that her battler had been successful in outrunning Kingler, who slid to a stop when his claws had emptied.

But Ash wasn't phased. As he gazed across the field, he was satisfied by Kingler's work. The network of underground tunnels Infernape had dug were now completely filled with water, creating dozens of deep pools on the surface.

A confident smirk still on Scarlet's face, she commanded her pokémon to charge, lowering her head for another head butt. Exhausted, Kingler tried to strike back with another blast of water, but what little he had left just trickled from his claws like two leaky faucets.

Flareon easily sidestepped the sad stream of water and connected with a potent strike to Kingler's body with her skull, causing him to crash to the ground.

Sprawled out on the concrete, Kingler did not move. His eyes were glassy and distant as the referee signaled that he was no longer fit to battle. The crowd cheered while Flareon pranced around in victory. Scarlet seemed more at ease now that the match appeared to be swaying in her favor. She giggled and winked at Ash from across the field.

With Kingler back safely in his capsule, Ash had a decision to make. He quickly weighed his options before sending Infernape back onto the field.

"I know you're tired, buddy," he called out. "But you can do this!"

Infernape grunted in agreement and rushed at Flareon, who let loose another Smog attack. Before the black cloud could reach him, though, Infernape ignited it with a ball of fire, causing a huge explosion that delighted the crowd.

Knifing threw the settling dust, Infernape fired another scorching blast which exploded underneath Flareon's feet, sending her flying.

"Grab her!" Ash shouted, knowing that this was his opportunity to regain control of the battle.

His legs still exhibiting some spring, Infernape leaped towards the free-falling Flareon and caught the furry creature in midair before plunging into one of the deep pools in the middle of the field with an enormous splash. The crowd gave a collective gasp as both fire-types disappeared underwater.

Ash held his breath. Tiny bubbles surfaced from below where Infernape and Flareon had descended. The entire stadium fell silent.

"Come on, Infernape," Ash said quietly to himself. "You got this."

Finally, the surface of the water broke when Infernape leaped up out of the water, his fur matted with water. Still clutching Flareon in his arms, he landed on dry ground looking nearly depleted. The flame atop his head looked weak like a dying camp fire, and his legs trembled as he staggered for a few steps before he seemed ready to collapse.

Suddenly though, Infernape's eyes began to glow bright orange. His drooping shoulders erected and his head shot up as though he had electricity coursing through his body. With a loud boom, the sagging flame on his head exploded to a massive size and he roared with the power of his Blaze ability.

The spectators gasped as Infernape again jumped high into the air before mercilessly hurling Flareon's tiny body onto the field as if he was trying to throw her through the ground to the other side of the planet. She landed with the force of a space object crashing into the concrete, kicking up a billowing mass of dust and debris. When everything had settled, Flareon was lying awkwardly in the crater the impact had created.

At the same time, Ash watched as Infernape, whose Blaze ability had subsided, also fell to the ground when his knees finally gave way.

"Both Flareon and Infernape are unable to battle! Each trainer has just one pokémon remaining!"

The stadium echoed with their boisterous approval. Ash savored it although he knew the match was far from over. He looked over at Scarlet, who was pouting from her end of the field. Both trainers were now down to their final fighters, and both trainers desperately needed this victory if they were to have any chance at advancing to the second round of the tournament.

Scarlet sent out Arcanine, a gorgeous beast with orange fur and black stripes. It glided towards the middle of the field with such grace that it startled Ash when she unleashed a booming roar in his and Pikachu's direction.

"All right," Ash whispered to his final pokéball. "Last chance. We can do this."

The orb exploded against the cement and out of the flash of light appeared a sleek pokémon with webbed feet and a long, pink tongue wrapped around his neck.

"Here we go, Greninja! Start off with a Hydro Pump attack!"

Greninja's entire body became encased in an enormous orb of pulsing water as he moved towards Arcanine. The watery force field swiftly grew in size under his command until he signaled with his front flippers for it to attack the enemy. The almost-sentient ball of water immediately transformed into a speeding jet which struck Arcanine with a burst of foamy water.

A sharp hissing sound from the water striking the fire-type was audible despite the stadium's reaction to Greninja's power. The fiery beast roared in agony, but countered with its own attack at Scarlet's request.

Arcanine released a stream of glowing orange lava straight up into the air. It looked more like liquid than fire. The gooey, molten matter rained down onto her fur, cloaking her before bursting into flames. This seemed to energize Arcanine as she dashed towards Greninja with bullet speed, her eyes glowing bright orange as well.

With her energy boost, Arcanine was able to reach Greninja and chomp down on his leg with her teeth like a steel trap. Wailing in pain, Ash's pokémon returned fire with a desperate jet of water to Arcanine's underbelly.

After her battler had shaken off the effects of the attack, Scarlet elected to send Arcanine in for another strike, but Greninja hopped out of the way in the nick of time and dived spryly into the nearest watery pit on the field.

Invisible now to the crowd and Arcanine, the fire-type beast cautiously roamed the field, her head on a swivel with her guard on high alert. Greninja was an expert swimmer who was attempting to again help Ash take advantage of the field conditions Infernape had created.

"Now!" Ash shouted.

Almost simultaneously, Greninja sprung up from the hole nearest to Arcanine and used his large webbed feet to spray her in the face with a large amount of the standing water. She howled in pain and blindly send a jet of flames flying in Ash and Pikachu's direction. Ducking to avoid the speeding stream of fire, Ash felt the heat of the attack as it whizzed just over his head.

"Keep her off balance, Greninja!" Ash shouted.

Diving back down into the hole, Greninja quickly surfaced again through another behind Arcanine before she could turn around and blasted her in the backside with water. He again disappeared into the water before she could react.

This game of Meowth and Rattata went on for a while until Scarlet stomped her feet in anger. She instructed Arcanine to again cloak herself in fire, which acted as a barrier from Greninja's water splashes. While doing so, the fiery creature also began to vigorously sniff the air, which puzzled Ash.

Greninja, again attempting to use stealth in the form of the water holes, poked his head up from the one behind Arcanine. But Scarlet's pokémon was ready. Growling and baring her teeth, Ash watched in horror as yellow threads of electricity began sparking from her mouth. In one swift motion, Arcanine turned and plucked Greninja from the hole with her electrified fangs. His body convulsed as Arcanine tossed him into the air with the flick of her head. Even before he could land, she volleyed him with a great blast of fire.

Greninja landed in a heap on the ground, and Ash knew Scarlet had outsmarted him. She was known for her love of fire-type pokémon, meaning that she realized her opponents would favor water-types as a result. Having one of her strongest fighters know such a devastating electric attack had been a stroke of genius, one that Ash had not been prepared for.

"Greninja!" Ash yelled, hearing the own desperation in his voice.

Greninja, slowly opening his eyes, looked back at his trainer with a look of determination and understanding, and suddenly, Ash felt it. The remnants of the electricity leaving Greninja's body, the pain of crashing into the cement, the burnt areas on his skin from Arcanine's attacks, all of it. Ash gazed back into Greninja's eyes, and felt an overwhelming feeling of power emerging throughout his entire body like a shot of adrenaline.

Rising to his feet, a huge tornado of water exploded around Greninja's body, energizing both him and Ash as well. The entire stadium was shocked by the creature's apparent second wind, but Ash just smiled.

There was no need to command his pokémon what to do. The moment it entered into Ash's mind, Greninja made it so. The shroud of spinning water intensifying around him, Greninja shot at Arcanine like a missile. The force with which the two beasts collided was so great that Ash felt it in his bones. It was hard to describe, but the pain felt invigorating as he watched Scarlet's fiery monster fall back helplessly into one of the pools.

Greninja's heart was racing as he stood ready to strike once again. But further action was not needed. He and Ash shared their elation when they heard the referee signal that the match was over. Arcanine was unable to continue. Ash had defeated Scarlet, the Unova Champion.


	5. Four: Familiar Faces

_Hello, everyone! Thanks so much for reading. If you have time, please leave me a review :) It really helps me stay motivated to write if I know people are reading and can hear their thoughts! Thanks again!_

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Familiar Faces**

* * *

Still riding the emotional high of seeing Arcanine hitting the dirt and the stadium going wild with surprise, Ash felt like his body was moving independently from his mind as he entered the sliding glass doors of the Pokémon Center.

Even before the doors had closed behind him, he and Pikachu were greeted by a swarm of reporters all rushing at them like a great wave unleashed by a broken levy. Everyone seemed to be shouting over one another, each journalist yearning for their questions to be heard above all overs. The blinding flashbulbs and all the commotion was overwhelming to Ash as he stared at the sea of people packing the lobby.

The media fanfare Ash had received following his first match against Brendan had been an absolute stroll through the park compared to this frenzy with everyone clamoring to understand just how it was possible that a fifteen-year-old from the tiny town of Pallet could have defeated the former Unova Champion.

"Ash, everyone watching at home is dying to know... How did you do it? What was your strategy heading into the match against such a powerful trainer like Scarlet?" one particularly aggressive reporter in a gray suit asked, shoving his microphone against Ash's lips.

Never having mastered the art of public charisma, Ash stared at the floor as he struggled to find words.

"Well, uh, you know," he stuttered, nervously running his hands through his shaggy black hair. "My... my pokémon... They deserve all the credit. They battled hard."

Any hope that the mob would be satisfied with such a mundane response and would allow Ash to return unimpeded up to his room was quickly dashed. He had already known that he had been a massive underdog versus Scarlet, but everyone was acting like an otherworldly miracle had just occurred.

"You go up against Thad Rollins of Veilstone City in your final match of the first round. With his narrow loss to Brendan Birch earlier today, that means the winner of your match advances to Round Two. Did you dream that this would ever be possible at your age? What's it going to take for you to defeat Rollins?"

Suddenly, a booming voice from across the lobby was somehow able to cut through the pandemonium.

"Hah! You lot think that kid's got any chance in this lifetime to beat me?"

Everyone in the room turned their heads in unison to see Thad Rollins himself scoffing at the notion of losing to Ash. The tall, lanky man looked like a magazine model with his slicked brown hair and well-hanging black leather jacket. He seemed a great deal more clearheaded and composed than the last time Ash had seen him stumbling through the alley a few nights ago, although he was nursing a small glass of brown liquor as he leaned casually against the wall.

"I get it, you lot have stories to write," Rollins said to the room, shrugging and taking a sip of his beverage. "The kid got lucky out there tonight. I agree, it's a fun story... But that's all it is. And it's all gonna come crashing to an end when I'm done with him. You can print that."

The buzz in the lobby was immense. Ash could almost feel the reporters all bursting with delight over Thad's confrontational tone providing them ample fodder for their respective publications. All the heads and cameras shifted their attention back to Ash for a response, although he did not give one.

"Look at him," Rollins said with a deep laugh, pointing at Ash. "He's got nothing to say because even he knows it's true."

Ash had never formally met the man. He wasn't really sure why Rollins was being so aggressive in his criticism of him, but something about the arrogance in his laughter made Ash's blood boil. Pikachu's paws trembled against Ash's shoulder in anger as well.

"He's a fucking child!" Rollins continued more loudly. "This tournament is full of legends. People who have actually achieved something! He's not even a real trainer. He spends all his time playing with that pathetic looking rodent on his shoulder. He's nothing but a school boy who sits up in his room writing sad little love notes to his little girlfriends."

Ash watched in horror as Thad pulled a crumpled sheet of paper out of his jacket pocket and chuckled. He held it up so the cameras could see it before he began to recite what was written in an exaggerated tone.

"... Even though I already know what you'd say if you were here right now, I still wish you were. I would give all this up in a second if it meant I could see you again. I want you to know how sorry I am for not spending more time with you while I could. Ever since I was ten years old..."

Rollins cackled with laughter again as he crumpled the paper in his hand and tossed the wad into the crowd.

"I mean, what is that? A real man doesn't say that kind of shit! What's the matter, boy? Couldn't keep your girl satisfied? She leave you for a real trainer?"

Again, the crowd turned back towards Ash who was absolutely fuming now. The entire room was silent aside from the sounds of pens vigorously scraping against paper and ice clinking against Rollins' glass as he took another satisfied sip.

"Where'd you get that?" Ash asked quietly, determined not to allow himself to lose his cool in front of so many people.

"Oh, you know. I have my ways," Rollins replied, licking his lips creepily. "Let's just say that I like to do my homework on my opponents."

Ash had not even realized the letter had been missing from his room with all the excitement of a few nights ago. He had no idea how Rollins could have gotten his hands on it, but it didn't matter. He knew that the man was simply trying to get into his head before their match, to gain any sort of psychological advantage he could. And Ash was not about to let that happen.

Ash sighed deeply. He didn't see a way around it anymore. He felt every eye and microphone focused directly on him, waiting anxiously for some sort of reaction. After failing to come up with any sort of suitable alternative, Ash threw his hands up, concluding that best remedy for the situation was simply to tell the truth. He took a deep breath before shrugging, attempting to show that he was not rattled.

"If you must know," Ash said, directing his voice towards Rollins but really speaking to the cameras. "My mother passed away a few years back..."

Audible gasps from the throng of journalists rang out before more silence followed, allowing Ash to continue.

"... It's not something I talk about a lot, but she's the reason I'm here. She always supported me growing up, no matter what. I'm an only child, and she raised me herself. By the time I was ten, I was traveling so much that I was almost never home with her..."

"Waa! Waa! Waa!" Rollins tried to interrupt, sarcastically wiping his eyes. "No one's buying your little sob story, kid. Life ain't always fair! I'm gonna teach you that. Your mommy would be glad she doesn't have to watch me destroy your ass!"

But the crowd completely ignored Rollins. Their undivided attention remained with Ash as he continued his explanation for the mysterious letter.

"... She sacrificed so much for me over the years... and then she got sick. I never... I never got to tell her how much it all means to me. To finally be here, competing in this tournament... It's all because of her. And I know it might seem kinda silly to still write letters to her now that she's gone, but... but..."

Ash's voice trailed off as it was clear his emotions were getting the better of him. He was embarrassed to be sharing such intimate details about his life with all these strangers, not to mention the many people at home watching it being broadcasted, but in a way, it felt oddly soothing to finally talk about it all. For so many years, he had kept his feelings about his late mother, Delia, bottled up, that it was nice to finally have someone to listen.

One journalist in particular emerged from the horde and placed her hand softly on his shoulder.

"It's not silly at all, Ash," she said quietly.

Ash froze when he suddenly realized that he had met this reporter before, years ago during his travels. She brushed back a hanging lock of her soft brown hair behind her ear, her kind green eyes comforting him as she smiled and gently raised her microphone a safe distance from his face.

"Alexa from the Lumiose Press, Ash," she announced, stating her name and affiliation for the sake of appearances. "Thank you very much for sharing that with us. I think I speak for all of us in the media when I offer my condolences for your loss."

"Thanks, Alexa."

Alexa's sentiment seemed to match that of everyone in the lobby. They all seemed to mirror her sympathy, her compassion towards him, and suddenly, they seemed less like ruthless media jackals born to prod and criticize, and more like ordinary people feeling for a young boy who had lost his mother much too soon.

Additionally, Ash could sense that everyone looked very unimpressed with Rollins for his brash insensitivity. There was much shaking of disapproving heads and many glares and icy looks that seemed to be pointed across the lobby in his direction. Ash had not meant to turn this situation into a war of popularity leading up to their match, but after Rollins' comments towards him, he hardly felt guilty that the man had turned himself into such a villain.

Rollins angrily rebuked the reporters who were attempting to ask him why he thought it was appropriate to ridicule a child mourning the death of a parent. He slammed his glass down forcefully on the front desk as he exited the lobby, stopping to turn and scowl back at Ash one final time before he disappeared.

"Now," Alexa continued, winking at Ash. "I think it's time we turned our attention back to the tournament. Don't you?"

Ash nodded gratefully. He'd never been happier to see a familiar face before in his life.

"Would it be okay if we got away for a few minutes and found a place to talk?" Alexa asked gently.

Much to the disappointment of the other members of the media, Ash nodded and agreed to grant Alexa's request for a private interview. Feeling relieved, he pushed his way through the crowd and led her to the other end of the Pokémon Center near the food court where they found an empty table.

"Ash Ketchum... It's been too long. Look how grown up you look," she said as they both sat down. "I'm sorry to hear about your mom."

Ash leaned back in his chair, still enjoying having the time and space to breathe. Pikachu scuttled down from his shoulder to the table top where Ash scratched him lovingly behind the ears.

"Thanks, Alexa," he said, trying to return her kindness with a smile.

Alexa didn't speak right away. She just gazed back at him with an expression of concern, so Ash, unsure if he was being formally interviewed, kept talking. And once he began, he realized again how good it felt to do so.

"Yeah, it's been tough. It was a few years ago. We were off on one of our gym badge journeys, of course, and Mom called and told me she wasn't feeling well. I was so caught up with heading to the next gym that I didn't even think anything of it. And then... It happened so fast... Professor Oak called me a few weeks later... I tried to get home, but it was too late."

"Oh, Ash, I'm so sorry," Alexa replied, placing a warm hand on his forearm.

"I'm okay," Ash said quickly, determined not to fish for further pity. "I'll never forget all she did for me, and I owe it to her to keep following my dreams. She'd have wanted that."

"I'm sure she would be proud of you," Alexa replied. "I mean, look at you... Fifteen years old and competing in the World League Tournament!"

"Yeah..."

"Something wrong?"

"No," Ash said immediately, but he knew he probably didn't sound convincing. He sighed and nervously fussed with his hair before continuing. "I mean, right away after Mom died, I was more determined than ever to get here one day. We trained day and night, didn't we, Pikachu?"

"Pika!"

"And it seems to have paid off, right?" Alexa said brightly.

"Yeah, I guess," Ash said, his voice trailing as he stared down at the table top.

"Ash, you know this isn't a real interview, right?" Alexa replied, offering another supportive smile. "Right now, I'm just here as your friend."

"It's just that... We've been working so hard lately. Traveling, training, winning badges, coming here to Sapphire City..." Ash said quietly as though he was sharing a deep secret. "We've sacrificed so much. I haven't been back home since Mom's funeral. I haven't seen or spoken to any of my friends in years..."

Alexa nodded in understanding and just sat quietly and continued to let Ask speak.

"I just feel bad," he said, his voice right above a whisper. "Brock, Tracey, Gary... all of them. I've met so many amazing friends along the way, and even when we would eventually go our separate ways, we always promised to stay in touch."

"And have you?"

Ash shook his head sadly. "No. I feel like I've been a lousy friend. After Mom died, Clemont called me. Dawn sent me a letter. A lot of them reached out to see how I was doing, I just never made time to get back to them."

"I'm sure they all knew it was a hard time for you, Ash."

"I know," he said. "And that's what makes me feel so bad. Ever since I was a kid, they've always been there for me. I wouldn't be here today without each and every one of them. And how do I repay them? I go off on my own and let years go by without so much as a 'thank you.'"

"You know, it's never too late," Alexa said, gesturing towards the telephone hanging on the wall by the food stand.

Ash nodded. He knew Alexa was right, but after all the time that had passed, he wasn't even sure what he would say to any of his friends. What if they didn't want to talk to him? What if they couldn't understand why he had ignored them after all this time? Pikachu, apparently sensing his trainer's mood, climbed back onto his shoulder and brushed his furry head lovingly against Ash's neck.

"Enough about me, though," Ash announced, forcing his tone to perk up. "It's great to see you, Alexa. Thanks again for rescuing me back there with the reporters. What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Are you kidding?" Alexa asked with a giggle. "What kind of journalist would I be if I wasn't in town to cover the biggest sporting event in the world?"

Ash just chuckled, remembering back to when he had first met Alexa during his days exploring the Decolore Islands years ago.

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I forgot, you're supposed to be interviewing me. Go ahead. Ask me anything."

"Actually, that's not exactly why I'm here," Alexa said, scooting her chair in closer to the table. "I love the World League and all, but I think I'll leave the articles about your new rivalry with Rollins to the other reporters. I'm actually in town following a bigger lead."

"What's that?"

"It's a long story," Alexa said with a sigh. "I don't even know if it's worth pursuing. I won't bore you with the details, but I do have a big favor to ask. I hate to even ask with how busy this week's been for you..."

"Yeah, anything," Ash replied, eager to return the favor.

"Well, I've been granted access to this party tonight at the Mayor's Residence, a big swanky affair. All the political big wigs from all over the world who are in town for the tournament will be there," Alexa explained. "I have some somewhat... difficult questions for President McKinnon of Kalos, and I'm told he's quite the sports fan..."

Ash saw the look in Alexa's eye and knew this must be quite the story. He could tell she was trying to sound casual, but her journalistic passion was definitely showing through. The thought of all those important people under one roof seemed amazing to Ash.

"Yeah?" he asked, still not sure what he could do to help.

"Well, it's a long shot, but I figure if I brought you as my guest tonight, you might be able to soften McKinnon up a bit before I try to interview him. Like I said, he's a huge sports fan, and I'm sure he was impressed by your match tonight," Alexa said hopefully.

Ash paused to take in the magnitude of the tournament. The idea that the President of Kalos might actually know who he was was truly incredible to him.

Alexa, apparently taking Ash's silence as apprehension, added, "Like I said, who knows if the story even leads anywhere. Don't worry about that. It should be fun though. If nothing else, I heard there's going to be free food."

Almost comically, Ash's stomach growled loudly at the mere mention of food. Alexa laughed as she patted Ash on the arm. Pikachu rolled his eyes.

"Look, no pressure, Ash. Really. I know you've had a busy week with all the tournament excitement, and you have a match to prepare for."

"No, I'd love you go," he said quickly. "You're the first friendly face I've seen in a long time. Besides, it'll be nice to not think about the tournament for a while."

"Are you sure?" Alexa asked. "All you'd need to do is shake some hands and pose for some photos, maybe make some small talk with McKinnon for a bit. But if you don't want to-"

"Alexa, you had me at 'free food'," Ash said with a wink.

"Ah, thanks so much, Ash," she replied, looking relieved. "I promise I'll fill you in a bit more on the story if I can get some answers from McKinnon. But let's not worry about that. More than anything, I just want you to have a good time. Pikachu too!"

"Whaddaya think, buddy? You up for a party?"

"Pika!"

"Great," Alexa said, checking her watch as she rose from the table. "Well, I have to head to my hotel and get ready. I'll arrange for a car to pick you up in a few hours."

"Thank you, Alexa."

"Hey, you're the one doing me a favor by coming."

"No, I mean, thanks for... everything," Ash said quietly, again nodding towards the lobby. "I'm not really used to all that attention. And like I said, it's nice to have a friend here..."

"Ash Ketchum, if there's anything I've learned about you over the years," Alexa said with a warm grin, "it's that you shoot from the hip and speak from the heart. That's rare from a lot of today's big time trainers. Keep being you, and I promise, you'll make your mother proud."

With that, Alexa waved goodbye to Ash and Pikachu and exited the Pokémon Center. Feeling a warm sensation overtaking his body that he had not felt in years, Ash pounded his fist excitedly against the table and grinned at Pikachu as he stood up.

"We'll get some training in tomorrow. But tonight, let's have some fun!"

"Pika-chu!"

A couple hours later, after Ash had finally managed to locate a sensible outfit for the evening with the help of the Pokémon Center staff, he and Pikachu boarded the car Alexa had sent and were transported to the Mayor's Residence on the other end of town.

"Wow," Ash marveled as he stepped out of the car and gazed up at the massive, brick castle looming before them.

"Pikaaaa," Pikachu agreed, hopping up onto his usual spot on Ash's shoulder.

There was a small group of photographers loitering behind the gates through which the car had entered. Ash was relieved to see that there was limited media access after what he had dealt with earlier that night, but he still felt a bit nervous. High ranking officials from all the major regions in the world would be present tonight, and once again, he, a fifteen-year-old from a tiny town, found himself wondering how it was possible that he was right in the middle of it.

The building itself was immaculate with ornate stained-glass windows and towering pillars. The lawn was gorgeous, bordered by vibrant Qualot berry trees with a beautiful cobblestone path leading from where Ash stood up towards the front door. Several other well-dressed guests were arriving as well and were heading towards the house. With a deep breath, Ash shot Pikachu that same 'here goes nothing' look he always gave him before they would embark on any sort of new adventure.

"You clean up nice, Ash," a voice behind him suddenly stopped them in their tracks. "You too, Pikachu."

Ash turned to see Alexa standing behind them wearing a ravishing blue gown and matching earrings. She smiled at them and gave Pikachu a friendly pat on the head.

"Well, you boys ready?" she asked before she began ushering them down the cobblestone towards the building.

"You look great too, Alexa," Ash commented as they walked.

"You're too kind," she replied, her eyes focused forward on the door as they approached. "You'd be surprised how helpful it is to be a pretty girl in my line of work."

Ash wasn't entirely sure what Alexa meant by this, but it escaped his mind the moment they reached the building and the huge doors swung open, revealing the inside of the mansion. The entirety of Sapphire Stadium might have fit inside the great foyer that Alexa led them through. The floors were made of gleaming, flat stone, and gigantic portraits of important-looking adults adorned the walls. At the center of the vast gathering space, suspended high above the floor was an enormous chandelier made of dazzling crystals that twinkled like the Pallet Town night sky.

"This is incredible," Ash said, immediately eyeing the lavish spread of food as they passed the center of the room.

"Welcome to the lifestyle of the rich and famous, Ash," Alexa replied dryly. "Keep winning battles and you might find yourself in a house like this someday."

Ash chuckled at the notion. The luxuriousness of it all was certainly impressive to see, but he couldn't help feeling like a tiny goldeen that had been mistakingly dropped into a vast ocean. It was strange though, as he and Alexa made their way through the gathering area, Ash felt many eyes trained on them.

"Why's everyone staring at me?" Ash asked under his breath as they passed.

"You? They're not staring at you. Have you seen how great my ass looks in this dress?" Alexa quipped before stopping to smirk at Ash's confused expression. "You're kidding, right? You're the youngest trainer to compete in the World League in... ever. They've all just watched you beat a former league champion, and then share with the entire world on live television that you're an orphan dedicating your performance to your late mother... Ash, you've kind of made a name for yourself today."

Ash didn't know what to feel about Alexa's statement. Just like back at the Pokémon Center, the attention made him feel very uncomfortable. This was the mayor's house. There were presidents and world leaders here. How could all these people even care who he was compared to them?

"Just relax," Alexa instructed, her eyes scanning room for something. "It's a party. Have some fun."

"What about President McKinnon?" Ash whispered.

"It'll be fine. Everyone's seen us... well, mainly you... walk in. Word will spread quickly that you're here. Just enjoy yourself. I'm going to go try to mingle, see what I can find out."

Alexa, in full investigation mode, took off and disappeared into the crowd of guests across the gathering area. Ash, having no idea what else to do, immediately made his way towards the large table of food with Pikachu still latched to his shoulder. Realizing that he had not eaten since before his match against Scarlet, he began to eagerly pile goodies high onto his plate.

"Mr. Ketchum!" an excited voice rang out from behind him suddenly.

Startled, Ash turned around quickly and half the contents of his plate fell and splattered on the floor at the feet of a short, stout little man in a tuxedo. His dark, beady eyes gleamed as he stared up at Ash with admiration, completely ignoring the food on the floor.

"It's such a privilege to have you here, my boy! What a pleasant surprise!" he gushed, his hands clasped together as if he was thanking the heavens.

"Uh, thank you, sir," Ash replied, caught off guard by such aggressive kindness. "Sorry about the mess."

"Not a'tall," the man said, waving off Ash's attempt to reach for a napkin from the table. He turned around and snapped his fingers a few times in the air, and like magic, a tuxedoed young man appeared to wipe the floor clean.

"Perks of the job, you might say," the man said with a proud chuckle when the servant had left. "Ah, but where are my manners?! I'm Gerald Matheson, Mayor of Sapphire City. Thank you again for gracing us with your presence tonight, Mr. Ketchum!"

"Thanks for having me," Ash replied, shaking the mayor's meaty hand. "Great party."

The man's cheeks flushed red in color as his eyes grew wide. He looked to Ash like he might cry.

"You're performance tonight on the battlefield was magnificent, dear boy! And it touched my heart to hear about your mother. It's a honor to have you visiting our fair city. Everyone will be so excited to meet you!"

"Thanks... thanks again."

Ash forced himself to smile. The mayor seemed like a nice enough person, but his kindness seemed so over the top that Ash was hesitant to say much. He listened as the mayor continued making small talk for a few minutes before he said something about introducing Ash to some people. He grabbed Ash's arm and eagerly ushered him away from the table across the floor towards a small group of people gathered at the other end of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Matheson announced excitedly to the group. "How are we enjoying the evening so far?"

The small huddle of guests was comprised of an older couple of distinguished-looking gentlemen, a middle-aged woman in a white gown and two younger teenagers, a boy and a girl, probably around Ash's age. They all nodded courteously when Ash approached.

"Ah, Gerald," one of the men said. "Finally. Glad to see you've finally delivered on those celebrity guests you keep promising us."

"Been coming to these parties for years now, and the best he's ever done was that horrible radio DJ from Aloha four years ago," the other man said with a snooty grunt. "I was hoping this year wouldn't be more of the same."

"Ugh, remember the last time we were here, Chairman? That party was such a bore!"

Blushing, Mayor Matheson gave a nervous chuckle as he presented Ash to the group.

"Chairman Brothers," the mayor said, "This is my... our lucky day. Please allow me to introduce Ash Ketchum and his esteemed familiar, Pikachu."

"But of course we know who Mr. Ketchum is, Gerald," the woman scolded, holding her gloved hand out towards Ash. "First Lady Kilgore, Mr. Ketchum. Pleased to meet your acquaintance."

Unsure of what he was supposed to do, Ash clumsily shook the woman's hand. She seemed mildly appalled, but the boy and girl on either side of her giggled.

"Since Gerald here doesn't seem to have the wherewithal to properly introduce us," the older man said with a disapproving look. "I'm Chairman Brothers of the Sinnoh Region. This is Minister Kilgore and his wife, Donatella, of Hoenn. And these are Victoria and Steven McKinnon, children of President McKinnon of Kalos."

"Pleasure to meet you all," Ash said politely, although he was not quite sure that it was true.

"Quite the performance tonight against Scarlet, young man," Kilgore commended.

"Yes, quite! And I'm terribly sorry to hear about the loss of your mum," his wife added with an obviously disingenuous and exaggerated expression of sympathy.

The small talk continued for a while. Ash answered questions about how beautiful his times in Sinnoh, Hoenn and Kalos had been. He listened as they complained about the food, the music and the other guests. He had never known just how exhausting simply standing and conversing with such people could be.

"Hey, Ash," Steven McKinnon said finally when a lull in the conversation presented itself. "I gotta ask..."

"Yeah?"

"A famous trainer like you," the boy asked with a sly look on his round face. "You gotta be swimming in ass, right?"

"Steven!" Lady Gilgore exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"What?! I was only asking. I mean, you're young, famous, got the entire world rooting for you. I bet the girls are just lining up at your bed, right?"

Ash didn't have a chance to answer before the First Lady Gilgore rounded on the boy, wagging her finger at him.

"What would your father say if he heard you speaking in such a manner, young man?"

"Oh, our father," Victoria replied, rolling her heavily made-up brown eyes. "The biggest womanizer in the history of Kalos? The one with the new girlfriend half his age?"

"Don't talk about Lena that way," Steven said angrily.

"Oh, shut up, Steve," his sister shot back. "Just because you have the hots for her..."

"Children, these days," Chairman Brothers said, shaking his head. "You two would be well-served to learn to conduct yourselves with more dignity."

"Where is Dad, anyway?"

"Probably flirting with one of the cocktail waitresses somewhere."

Ash felt like he was in the middle of a T.V. show. He wasn't sure what was worse, hearing these pompous world leaders insult Mayor Matheson's party right to his face or watching two spoiled rich kids bicker right in the middle of it. Mercifully, the mayor stepped in and took Ash again by the arm.

"Well, we mustn't hoard our special guest all to ourselves," he said with another nervous laugh. "Come, Ash. There's many more people I'd like to introduce you to."

Sweating profusely and clearly not enjoying himself, Mayor Matheson led Ash toward another group of guests for the same song and dance. He felt sorry for the mayor. He wasn't sure why the leader of a great city like Sapphire would allow others to treat him with such disrespect or why he was going to such lengths to entertain these people.

"Don't listen to them," Ash said in a whisper to the mayor's ear. "Back in Pallet Town, we never had any parties like this. I think this is great."

Again, looking as if he might break down into tears, Mayor Matheson patted Ash gratefully on the back.

"Thank you, my boy. Playing host at these sorts of functions is certainly not an easy job."

Realizing now that he was acting as the mayor's star attraction for the evening, Ash settled down and played the part. They continued to all the various cliques gathered throughout the gathering space, and Ash answered more questions about his mother, his journey towards the World League and how he planned to beat Thad Rollins in his final first round match. Pikachu was a big hit as well, his cuteness on full display to those who had never so much as held a pokéball before.

As the evening progressed and Ash had spoken to seemingly every guest at the party, Matheson took him and Pikachu back to the food table for a much deserved break. The mayor took a long swig from a glass of pink, bubbly liquid and wiped his brow.

"My apologies for parading you about like that, Ash," he said, clearly more at ease now. "Like I mentioned, it means a lot to me to have you here. I won't get into the politics of it all, but this party is very important to our city. It's imperative that everyone has a great time tonight."

"Happy to help, Mr. Mayor," Ash replied.

"Pika-Chu."

"Thank you again to both of you for being good sports. I have to keep mingling," the mayor said glumly. "But feel free to sneak off and walk around the residence. You deserve a reprieve from all this... Besides, I doubt they have properties like this back in Pallet.

Ash, eager to never speak to another politician or wealthy business owner for as long as he lived, happily took the mayor up on his offer. He was right. Pallet Town had a lot of great things to offer, but a luxurious mansion like this was definitely not one of them.

Ash and Pikachu made their way up the enormous staircase that flanked the foyer. They admired the beautiful artwork hanging on the walls and marveled at all the various rooms on the second floor. Furniture and antique knick-knacks filled many of the spaces like individual museums.

"You think anyone even uses any of this stuff, Pikachu?"

"Pi..."

The pair continued exploring, making their way down the wide, winding hallway until they stopped in front of the only closed door they had seen. Ash heard voices inside and instinctively stopped when the voices escalated to a shout.

"I don't know where you found this alleged document, Miss Alexa, but I can assure you that it's a fake! I won't dignify any of this with any further response! I'm done discussing the manner!" a muffled, deep voice boomed from the other side of the door.

Without warning, the door flew open, and a tall, muscular man with perfectly sculpted dark hair wearing a cleanly pressed white suit appeared before Ash and Pikachu. The anger on his reddened face disappeared the instant he saw Ash.

"Ash Ketchum!" he said with a jolly chuckle. "I had heard you were here tonight! What a privilege to meet you! I'm Fredrick McKinnon."

His huge hand swallowed Ash's up as they exchanged pleasantries. From behind McKinnon, Alexa also emerged from the door looking annoyed.

"Well, I apologize for taking up your valuable time, Mr. President," she said with unconvincing politeness.

"It was my pleasure," McKinnon replied kindly, although he barely looked at Alexa.

"Ash, I'll see you downstairs. I'm ready to leave whenever you are," Alexa said as she walked off, her teeth clenched with disappointment.

"Leave? But the night has only just begun!" McKinnon cried jovially, slapping Ash on the back. "I must say, I've been following the Pokémon League for decades now, and I've scarcely been as impressed as I was tonight by your performance. And look at this Pikachu! What a gorgeous creature! I trust it will be battling in your match again Rollins later this week? I have a hefty wager with Vice President Anders that you will win. I'm confident in you, Mr. Ketchum!"

"Thank you, sir," Ash said for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Despite his desire to accept Alexa's request to leave the party, Ash forced himself to smile and exchange more conversation with McKinnon, believing it to be good for Matheson's sake to be pleasant.

"Now, please join me downstairs. I want to introduce you to my family!"

"Victoria and Steven?" Ash replied. "I've met them. They were... a pleasure to speak with."

"Ah, yes... my babies. I'm glad they were on their best behavior tonight," McKinnon said fondly. "What about Lena?"

"I haven't met her yet, sir. I've heard good things, though."

"Ah, undoubtedly you did. Yes, my Lena is quite the woman. Come! Let's go introduce you. She's also quite the fan of good pokémon battling. She'll be delighted."

Once again, feeling like a saddled ponyta being led to a stable, Ash followed President McKinnon back downstairs to the party. The man strutted happily across the floor, waving and pointing at people as they walked. Ash eyed Alexa standing on her own by the refreshments table, and he mouthed to her that he was sorry for the delay.

"Lena, baby, I have someone I'd like for you to meet," McKinnon said gently as they approached a young woman in an impossibly short black dress with long, cascading black hair standing and admiring one of the paintings on the wall.

She turned slowly to face them, and Ash immediately felt his knees start to buckle. Her big, blue eyes caught the light from the room and sparkled as she looked at Ash. Her full, luscious lips were a deep, cherry red, and her dazzling white teeth peeked out from behind them when she smiled.

Ash could not speak, but it was not due entirely to Lena's exquisite beauty. Her eyes, that face, Ash had laid eyes on them many times before as a child.

"Serena?" he said, just barely above the quietest whisper. It was all his vocal cords could manage.

"Hello, Mr. Ketchum," the girl greeted him with the same friendly grin he remembered from their time together as kids exploring the Kalos region years ago.

Ash still did not speak. He pressed his eyes shut before opening them again to make sure he wasn't seeing things. From her lack of reaction to him, Ash figured he must be going crazy. Lena looked several years older than Ash, and had developed an aura of sophisticated, adult beauty far beyond what he thought any fifteen-year-old could.

"H-hello, Lena," Ash stammered, feeling his mouth go dry.

Despite knowing in his head that what he was thinking was impossible, he could not look away from Lena's unmistakable, glistening blue eyes.


End file.
